Omneity® Pellets
All-In-One Vitamin & Mineral Pellet
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.
Equine infectious anemia in 2014: live with it or eradicate it? In the absence of an effective vaccine, the success of the test and removal approach for the control of equine infectious anemia (EIA) cannot be overstated, at least in those areas where testing has been traditionally routine. This article addresses 4 main aspects: what has been learned about EIA virus, host control of its replication, and inapparent carriers; international status regarding the control of EIA; diagnostic and laboratory investigation; and reducing the spread of blood-borne infections by veterinarians. An attempt is made to put these issues into practical contemporary perspectiv...
Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis. Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) can be caused by either of 2 related protozoan parasites, Sarcocystis neurona and Neospora hughesi, although S. neurona is the most frequent etiologic pathogen. Horses are commonly infected, but clinical disease occurs infrequently; the factors influencing disease occurrence are not well understood. Risk factors for the development of EPM include the presence of opossums and prior stressful health-related events. Attempts to reproduce EPM experimentally have reliably induced antibody responses in challenged horses but have not consistently produced acut...
Use of firocoxib for the treatment of equine osteoarthritis. This review presents the pathogenesis and medical treatment of equine osteoarthritis (OA), focusing on firocoxib. Inhibition of prostaglandin E remains a fundamental treatment for decreasing clinical symptoms (ie, pain and lameness) associated with OA in horses. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which inhibit the production of prostaglandin E from the arachidonic acid pathway, continue to be a mainstay for the clinical treatment of OA. Firocoxib is a cyclooxygenase (COX)-2-preferential NSAID that has been shown to be safe and to have a 70% oral bioavailability in the horse. Three ...
Using Bayes’ rule to define the value of evidence from syndromic surveillance. In this work we propose the adoption of a statistical framework used in the evaluation of forensic evidence as a tool for evaluating and presenting circumstantial "evidence" of a disease outbreak from syndromic surveillance. The basic idea is to exploit the predicted distributions of reported cases to calculate the ratio of the likelihood of observing n cases given an ongoing outbreak over the likelihood of observing n cases given no outbreak. The likelihood ratio defines the Value of Evidence (V). Using Bayes' rule, the prior odds for an ongoing outbreak are multiplied by V to obtain the post...
Quantitative assessment of the equine hoof using digital radiography and magnetic resonance imaging. Evaluation of laminitis cases relies on radiographic measurements of the equine foot. Reference values have not been established for all layers of the foot. Objective: To establish normal hoof wall and sole measurements using digital radiography (DR) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and to document tissue components present in the dorsal hoof wall and solar layers seen on DR. Methods: Prospective observational case-control study. Methods: Digital radiography and MRI were performed on 50 cadaver front feet from 25 horses subjected to euthanasia for nonlameness-related reasons. Four observer...
Esophageal Dysfunction in Friesian Horses: Morphological Features. Megaesophagus appears to be more common in Friesian horses than in other breeds. A prevalence of approximately 2% was observed among Friesian horses presented to the Wolvega Equine Clinic and the Utrecht University Equine Clinic. In this study, morphologic changes in the esophagi of Friesian horses with megaesophagus were compared with those of 6 control horses. Of 18 horses with clinically observed megaesophagus, only 12 animals had esophageal dilation at necropsy, usually involving the thoracic portion. Muscular hypertrophy of the distal esophagus was present in only one-third of the affecte...
Development of an in vitro model system for studying the interaction of Equus caballus IgE with its high-affinity receptor FcεRI. The interaction of IgE with its high-affinity Fc receptor (FcεRI) followed by an antigenic challenge is the principal pathway in IgE mediated allergic reactions. As a consequence of the high affinity binding between IgE and FcεRI, along with the continuous production of IgE by B cells, allergies usually persist throughout life, with currently no permanent cure available. Horses, especially race horses, which are commonly inbred, are a species of mammals that are very prone to the development of hypersensitivity responses, which can seriously affect their performance. Physiological responses ...
Omics technologies provide new insights into the molecular physiopathology of equine osteochondrosis. Osteochondrosis (OC(D)) is a juvenile osteo-articular disorder affecting several mammalian species. In horses, OC(D) is considered as a multifactorial disease and has been described as a focal disruption of endochondral ossification leading to the development of osteoarticular lesions. Nevertheless, OC(D) physiopathology is poorly understood. Affected horses may present joint swelling, stiffness and lameness. Thus, OC(D) is a major concern for the equine industry. Our study was designed as an integrative approach using omics technologies for the identification of constitutive defects in epiphy...
Effect of age, sex, physical activity and meteorological factors on haematological parameters of donkeys (Equus asinus). The review examines the role of blood in homeostasis, diagnosis and treatment of disease as influenced by meteorological stress factors, age, sex and physical activity of the donkeys. Haematological parameters play a crucial role in clinical diagnosis of infectious and parasitic diseases, in assessing the responses of donkeys to treatment and in prevention of diseases. The changes in blood values are important in evaluating the responses of the animals to various physiologic conditions. In conclusion, haematological values of donkeys are largely influenced by age, sex, physical factors of the ...
Incidence of gastro-intestinal parasites in horses of Shimoga region, Karnataka state. A study was conducted to ascertain the incidence of gastrointestinal parasites in horses of Shimoga region, to generate the data regarding status of parasitic infections of equines in Karnataka state due to paucity of information. A total of 100 fresh fecal samples of equines were collected and examined by direct and sedimentation method for the detection of parasitic egg/ova. Among 100 samples examined, 84 (84.0 %) were found positive for various gastrointestinal helminths. Out of 84 positive cases, 44 (52.38 %) were found positive for Strongylus spp. eggs, 09 (10.71 %) showed Parascaris e...
Ossification of ungular cartilages in front feet of cold-blooded trotters–a clinical radiographic evaluation of development over time. It has not yet been shown that ossification of ungular cartilages (OUC) is a pathological condition. Beside heredity, factors such as sex, age, repeated concussion, local trauma, hoof and body size have been suggested as contributing factors for OUC development. By comparing radiographs of front hooves from cold-blooded trotters with different age we wanted to evaluate when development of OUC in cold-blooded trotters occurs and if and when it stabilizes in relation to age and workload. Diagnosis and grading of OUC were based on radiological field examinations of 649 Swedish and Norwegian cold-...
Significance of ossificated ungular cartilages regarding the performance of cold-blooded trotters. Ossification of the ungular cartilages (OUC) in the foot of horses has been studied for more than 100 years. There is a high heritability of this condition but its clinical relevance has remained questionable. Nevertheless, modern equine orthopedic literature ranks OUC as one of top 10 causes of lameness in cold-blooded trotters and stallions of these breeds are excluded from breeding if they have more than mild levels of side bones. Cold-blooded trotters have been used for racing for many decades and official sports data have been available since 1923. A decreased performance is often the onl...
Copy number variation in the horse genome. We constructed a 400K WG tiling oligoarray for the horse and applied it for the discovery of copy number variations (CNVs) in 38 normal horses of 16 diverse breeds, and the Przewalski horse. Probes on the array represented 18,763 autosomal and X-linked genes, and intergenic, sub-telomeric and chrY sequences. We identified 258 CNV regions (CNVRs) across all autosomes, chrX and chrUn, but not in chrY. CNVs comprised 1.3% of the horse genome with chr12 being most enriched. American Miniature horses had the highest and American Quarter Horses the lowest number of CNVs in relation to Thoroughbred r...
Selective and simultaneous determination of NSAIDs in equine plasma by HPLC with molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction. Detection of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in equine plasma is a significant analytical problem in veterinary anti-doping controls. Results: A new HPLC method coupled to selective extraction with molecularly imprinted polymers was developed for the simultaneous determination in equine plasma of the NSAIDs phenylbutazone, flunixin, oxyphenbutazone, ketoprofen and naproxen. The analytical performances of the method have been evaluated both in standard solutions and equine plasma samples. Recovery: Molecularly imprinted polymers solid-phase extraction for all NSAIDs was >94% with ...
Ocular dimensions, corneal thickness, and corneal curvature in quarter horses with hereditary equine regional dermal asthenia. The aim of this study was to compare ocular dimensions, corneal curvature, and corneal thickness between horses affected with hereditary equine regional dermal asthenia (HERDA) and unaffected horses. Methods: Five HERDA-affected quarter horses and five healthy control quarter horses were used. Methods: Schirmer's tear test, tonometry, and corneal diameter measurements were performed in both eyes of all horses prior to ophthalmologic examinations. Ultrasonic pachymetry was performed to measure the central, temporal, nasal, dorsal, and ventral corneal thicknesses in all horses. B-mode ultrasound...
Combination of an unbiased amplification method and a resequencing microarray for detecting and genotyping equine arteritis virus. This study shows that an unbiased amplification method applied to equine arteritis virus RNA significantly improves the sensitivity of the real-time reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) recommended by the World Organization for Animal Health. Twelve viral RNAs amplified using this method were hybridized on a high-density resequencing microarray for effective viral characterization.
[Equine leukaemic lymphoma–a rare form of equine lymphoma]. Equine leukaemic lymphoma is a rare disease of the haematopoetic tissue. It results from neoplastic degradation of B- and T-lymphocytes and their occurrence in the blood. Clinical signs are often unspecific and include chronic weight loss, ventral oedema at the thorax and abdomen and regional lymphadenopathy. Horses are often presented late in the course of the disease and therapy is rarely successful. This review summarizes the clinical pathologic findings of equine leukaemic lymphoma and the findings of laboratory testing and other diagnostic measures, and presents treatment options describe...
The effect of passively acquired antibodies on Lawsonia intracellularis infection and immunity in the horse. Multiple hypotheses into the age-based susceptibility of animals to Lawsonia intracellularis exist, including the decline of passively acquired antibodies. Objective: To determine whether the decline in passively acquired antibodies in horses is responsible for the age predilection of equine proliferative enteropathy (EPE). Additional objectives included examination of various risk factors for the development of EPE as well as the determination of naturally occurring attack rates for clinical and subclinical EPE. Methods: Prospective, multifarm field study. Methods: A total of 369 mare and f...
Antiarrhythmic and electrophysiologic effects of flecainide on acutely induced atrial fibrillation in healthy horses. Only few pharmacologic compounds have been validated for treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) in horses. Studies investigating the utility and safety of flecainide to treat AF in horses have produced conflicting results, and the antiarrhythmic mechanisms of flecainide are not fully understood. Objective: To study the potential of flecainide to terminate acutely induced AF of short duration (≥ 15 minutes), to examine flecainide-induced changes in AF duration and AF vulnerability, and to investigate the in vivo effects of flecainide on right atrial effective refractory period, AF cycle length...
Drop metastasis of adrenocorticotropic hormone-producing pituitary carcinoma to the cauda equina. The diagnosis of pituitary carcinoma cannot be made easily histologically, and most cases of pituitary carcinoma are diagnosed only after the clinical detection of metastasis. Distant metastasis of pituitary tumor occurs in 0.1% to 0.2% of cases and has been reported in the liver, bone and central nervous system, with only one case of metastasis to the cauda equine reported. This study describes a rare case of the drop metastasis of adrenocorticotropic hormone-producing pituitary adenocarcinoma to the cauda equina, causing cauda equina syndrome.
Inefficient transmissibility of NS-truncated H3N8 equine influenza virus in dogs. H3N8 equine influenza virus (EIV) causes respiratory diseases in the horse population, and it has been demonstrated that EIV can transmit into dogs owing to its availability on receptors of canine respiratory epithelial cells. Recently, we isolated H3N8 EIV from an EIV-vaccinated horse that showed symptoms of respiratory disease, and which has a partially truncated nonstructural gene (NS). However, it is not clear that the NS-truncated EIV has an ability to cross the host species barrier from horses to dogs as well. Here, we experimentally infected the NS-truncated H3N8 EIV into dogs, and moni...
Hormonal composition of follicular fluid from abnormal follicular structures in mares. The objective was to characterise the hormonal composition of follicular fluid from mares with distinct anovulatory-cystic follicles. Follicular fluid was aspirated from six mares that presented with cystic follicles and from pre-ovulatory follicles of five normal mares (controls). Differences in progesterone, oestradiol, testosterone, IGF-I and IGF binding were analysed using Fisher's exact test. There were greater (P < 0.03) follicular fluid oestradiol concentrations in normal follicles and the testosterone concentration of the cystic fluid was greater (P < 0.05) than that of t...
Enostosis-like lesions in equids: 79 cases (1997-2009). To evaluate equids with enostosis-like lesions (ELLs) and document the clinical and epidemiological features of this disease. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: 79 equids with a scintigraphic diagnosis of at least 1 ELL on ≥ 1 occasion. Methods: Medical records of 4,992 equids that underwent bone scintigraphy between March 1997 and March 2009 were reviewed; 78 horses and 1 pony had a scintigraphic diagnosis of an ELL. For those equids, signalment; physical, scintigraphic, radiographic, and lameness examination results; and outcome were reviewed. Results: Of the 79 equids, 4 (5.1%) ...
Disease associated with equine coronavirus infection and high case fatality rate. Equine coronavirus (ECoV) is associated with clinical disease in adult horses. Outbreaks are associated with a low case fatality rate and a small number of animals with signs of encephalopathic disease are described. Objective: The aim of this study is to describe the epidemiological and clinical features of two outbreaks of ECoV infection that were associated with an high case fatality rate. Methods: 14 miniature horses and 1 miniature donkey testing fecal positive for ECoV from two related disease outbreaks. Methods: Retrospective study describing the epidemiological findings, clinicopatholo...
Limbal squamous cell carcinoma in Haflinger horses. To describe the prevalence of LSCC in Haflinger horses and to analyze affected horses' pedigrees investigating the genetic mode of inheritance. Methods: Fifteen horses met inclusion criterion of (i) being of the Haflinger breed, as confirmed by North American Haflinger Registry pedigree and (ii) being diagnosed with LSCC, as confirmed by clinical examination by a veterinary ophthalmologist or by histopathology. Pedigrees could not be obtained for four additional horses diagnosed with LSCC that had been identified as Haflingers. Methods: Retrospective medical record review of all 19 horses was ...
Investigation of single and paired measurements of adrenocorticotropic hormone for the diagnosis of pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction in horses. Paired measurement of ACTH concentration may be more reliable than a single measurement. Objective: To determine whether the mean of 2 measurements of ACTH concentration is more reliable in assessing pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) than a single measurement. Methods: Paired ACTH measurements were performed on (1) 148 occasions from 124 horses being investigated for PPID, (2) 90 occasions from 76 horses with PPID that were receiving treatment with pergolide, and (3) 63 occasions from 50 horses in which there was no clinical suspicion of PPID. Histologic examination of the pars inte...
Detection of Equid herpesvirus type 2 and 5 DNA in uterine flushings of mares with reproductive disorders. In recent years, there has been increasing evidence of the potential pathogenic significance of equine gammaherpesviruses in the horse. In humans, cattle and mice, gammaherpesviruses have already been associated with uterine infection. The aim of the present study was to investigate the presence of gammaherpesviruses in uterine flushings of mares with reproductive problems and to evaluate if there was a possible statistical association with clinical and laboratory findings in these cases. A total of 80 uterine flushings were collected from 61 mares with different reproductive problems and thes...
