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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.
Treatment of visceral pain in horses. Identification and alleviation of visceral pain is a frequent concern for the equine owner and veterinarian. This article discusses sources, methods for identification and quantitation, and options for treatment of visceral pain in horses.
Repair of an incompetent urethral sphincter in a mare. To describe successful surgical treatment of urinary incontinence caused by a ruptured and/or transected urethral sphincter in a mare. Methods: Clinical report. Methods: A 7-year-old, Swedish Warmblood mare with urinary incontinence. Methods: The urethral sphincter, which had been damaged during removal of a cystic urolith, was repaired by apposing the ends of the disrupted urethralis muscle and tunica muscularis. Results: The mare was no longer incontinent after repair of the defect by apposition of the ends of the urethralis muscle and tunica muscularis. Conclusions: Transection and/or ruptu...
Effects of stress on pain in horses and incorporating pain scales for equine practice. The stress response represents an animal's attempt to reestablish the body's homeostasis after injury, intense physical activity, or psychological strain. Two different neuroendocrine pathways may be activated in stressful situations: the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis, leading to increased cortisol levels, and the sympathoadrenomedullar system, leading to increased catecholamine levels. By applying some of the evaluation methods described in this article in the appropriate clinical situations, equine veterinarians can almost certainly improve their ability to recognize and manage ...
Laminitic pain: parallels with pain states in humans and other species. Laminitis poses a threat to all horses, and is widely considered as being one of the most important diseases of horses and a global equine welfare problem. The effects of laminitis lead to debilitation, development of pronounced digital pain, and great suffering in the afflicted animal. The precise pathophysiological processes that result in laminitic pain are poorly defined, and hence the delivery of effective palliative care is clinically challenging. Knowledge and understanding of pain states in other animal species may further aid the elucidation of equine laminitic pain mechanisms, guide ...
Recurrent rotavirus diarrhoea outbreaks in a stud farm, in Italy. A total of 47 stool samples were collected at the same stud farm from young foals with rotavirus diarrhoea and from their stud mares. Illness involved foals during three consecutive winter seasons. Infection in the farm appeared firstly in January-February 2008. After vanishing in the warm seasons, cases reappeared in March 2009 and 2010. Determination of the rotavirus G- and P-types was carried out using nested RT-PCR in samples collected in 2009 and 2010. A total of 19 of 47 samples resulted positive for rotavirus. The G type was determined in 19/47 samples, whereas the P genotype was determ...
Association between hypercoagulability and decreased survival in horses with ischemic or inflammatory gastrointestinal disease. Coagulopathies are common in horses with ischemic or inflammatory gastrointestinal (GI) disturbances. There is indirect evidence suggesting that early stages of these diseases are characterized by hypercoagulability (HC). Objective: HC, assessed via thromboelastography (TEG), is common in horses with ischemic or inflammatory GI diseases. The degree of HC is correlated with nonsurvival and thrombotic complications. Methods: Thirty client-owned horses with ischemic or inflammatory GI disease, 30 client-owned horses with nonischemic or inflammatory GI disease, and 30 healthy horses (control group...
Occurrence of incisional complications and associated risk factors using a right ventral paramedian celiotomy incision in 159 horses. To evaluate the occurrence of, and variables associated with, incisional complications after right ventral paramedian celiotomy in horses. Methods: Case series. Methods: Horses (n=159). Methods: Occurrence of incisional complications after right ventral paramedian celiotomy was determined in 159 horses (161 celiotomies) that survived at least 30 days after surgery at a private equine hospital (2003-2007). Follow-up information for 121 horses was obtained ≥90 days after surgery. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression was performed to evaluate variables associated with incisi...
Viability and cell death of synovial fluid neutrophils as diagnostic biomarkers in equine infectious joint disease: a pilot study. Synovial fluid samples from culture-confirmed infected joints (n=13), joints with pronounced non-infectious synovitis (n=11) and healthy joints (n=14) were collected from 24 equine patients and seven slaughterhouse horses. The samples from the joints with non-infectious synovitis and healthy joints served as negative controls. After isolation, counting and identification of neutrophils, the percentage viability, and the proportion apoptotic and necrotic neutrophils were determined by flow cytometry. Viability was significantly higher in infected samples compared to the controls. A significant ...
Identification of two novel equine papillomavirus sequences suggests three genera in one cluster. The number of recognized papillomavirus (PV) species and potential PV genera has dramatically been increasing throughout the past decade. It seems that every host species might potentially harbour a large set of PVs, while the PVs of each species appear to belong to only a few genera. In horses at least three conditions beside the equine sarcoid have been described, being supposedly PV induced namely classical equine papillomas, genital papillomas and aural plaques. We were able to identify the DNA of novel equine PVs (EcPVs) in the two latter disorders where PV involvement had been predicted....
Squamous cell carcinoma invading the right temporomandibular joint in a Belgian mare. This report describes a rare case of squamous cell carcinoma invading the right temporomandibular joint, right guttural pouch, and calvarium. Radiography, computed tomography, and histopathology were performed in the diagnostic workup. Computed tomography depicted more accurately than radiography the invasive nature, exact location, and extent of the lesion. Ce rapport décrit un rare cas de carcinomes squameux envahissant l’articulation temporomandibulaire droite, la poche gutturale et la calotte crânienne. Une radiographie, une tomodensitométrie et une histopathologie ont été réalis...
Comparison between radiological and magnetic resonance imaging lesions in the distal border of the navicular bone with particular reference to distal border fragments and osseous cyst-like lesions. There are no data concerning the accuracy of conventional and computed or digital radiography for evaluation of the equine foot. Objective: To compare conventional film-screen and computed radiography with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for detection of distal border fragments of the navicular bone; and to establish which type of fragment was more likely to be detected radiologically. Methods: Horses were included if forelimb lameness was localised to the foot and both radiography and high-field MR images had been acquired. Horses were divided into 2 groups based on acquisition of convention...
Equus caballus papillomavirus-2 (EcPV-2): an infectious cause for equine genital cancer? The aetiology of genital squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in horses remains unknown, but the similarity to the disease in man, for which papillomavirus infection has been shown to be a causal factor, requires to be investigated in horses. Objective: One or more novel papillomaviruses cause equine genital SCC and its associated premalignant lesions. Methods: DNA was extracted from samples of equine genital SCC and performed rolling circle amplification, in order to identify closed circular DNA viral genomes within the samples. The amplified DNA was subcloned and sequenced and the DNA sequence comp...
Bilateral iatrogenic [corrected] maxillary fractures after dental treatment in two aged horses. This clinical report describes two horses with bilateral maxillary fractures following dental treatment. The fractures occurred during dental treatment by a veterinarian, and both had rostral, transverse, and complete bilateral maxillary fractures with instability and minimal displacement. The fractures were repaired using bilateral intraoral wiring with the patients under general anesthesia. The postoperative period was without complications and the fractures healed as expected. Maxillary fractures during or after routine dental treatment are rare, but can occur, especially in older horses. A...
Penile and preputial tumours in the horse: literature review and proposal of a standardised approach. Penile and preputial tumours are not uncommon in the horse, but can cause discomfort and lead to serious complications. Several types of tumour of the male external genitalia have been described. The most common type is the squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), which is found mainly in older horses. Reports of a breed predilection for penile tumour formation are equivocal, but castration, coat colour, poor hygiene and various infectious agents have all been suggested to predispose to the development of some types of tumour (e.g. SCC, papilloma and melanoma). Careful assessment of the primary tumour i...
Incidence of swallowing during exercise in horses with dorsal displacement of the soft palate. The relationship between dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP) and swallowing is unclear. Objective: To quantify the relationship between DDSP and swallowing in horses at exercise. Objective: The frequency of swallowing increases immediately prior to DDSP in horses at exercise. Methods: Videoendoscopic and upper airway pressure data were collated from horses with a definitive diagnosis of DDSP at exercise. Horses with no upper airway abnormalities were matched by age, breed and sex and used as controls. Sixty-nine horses were identified with a definitive diagnosis of DDSP during the st...
Comparison of complications and long-term survival rates following hand-sewn versus stapled side-to-side jejunocecostomy in horses with colic. To evaluate survival rate and complications after jejunocecostomy in horses with colic and to compare outcomes after hand-sewn versus stapled side-to-side jejunocecostomy. Methods: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: 32 horses. Methods: Information was retrieved from medical records and through telephone calls on horses that had a hand-sewn or stapled side-to-side jejunocecostomy for treatment of colic, which was performed by or under the supervision of the same surgeon. Kaplan-Meier life table analysis was used to compare survival times and rates between horses that underwent a hand-sewn or ...
The 3D anatomy of the cervical articular process joints in the horse and their topographical relationship to the spinal cord. REASONS FOR STUDY: Detailed anatomy of the equine cervical articular process joints (APJs) has received little attention in the literature and yet disorders of this joint have been linked to spinal cord compression resulting in severe clinical signs such as ataxia and weakness. This study aimed to describe the 3D anatomy of the APJ in relation to the spinal cord in the horse. Objective: Artificial distension of the APJ causes the joint pouches to extend into the vertebral canal, with the potential for APJ effusion to cause spinal cord compressive disease. Methods: Six cadaveric necks (C1-C7) o...
Cutaneous T-cell-rich B-cell lymphoma in a horse. Cutaneous malignant lymphomas are rare in horses and comprise predominantly T-cell-rich B-cell lymphomas. They are characterized by multiple tumour nodules affecting predominantly female horses with a survival rate of months to years. At the final stage, metastases to regional lymph nodes occur, whereas widespread organ involvement is rarely reported. In this case report, a cutaneous T-cell-rich B-cell lymphoma in a 7-year-old standardbred gelding with metastases is described. Clinically, multiple cutaneous and subcutaneous nodules, enlarged superficial lymph nodes, rapid weight loss, and vent...
Histopathology of insulin-induced laminitis in ponies. Ponies with laminitis associated with insulin resistance and hyperinsulinaemia lack systemic and/or intestinal inflammatory signs, suggesting a different pathogenesis potentially reflected in differing histopathology. Objective: To describe the histological appearance and quantify morphological changes in primary and secondary epidermal lamellae (PEL and SEL) of laminitis lesions from ponies with insulin-induced laminitis. Methods: Equine hoof lamellar tissue was obtained from 4 control ponies and 5 ponies with laminitis induced following infusion of insulin (1036 ± 55 µU/ml) while maintai...
Cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA expression in equine nonglandular and glandular gastric mucosal biopsy specimens obtained before and after induction of gastric ulceration via intermittent feed deprivation. To measure the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) mRNA in gastric biopsy specimens serially obtained from horses before, during, and after an 8-day intermittent feed-deprivation trial and to investigate the mucosal location of COX-2. Methods: 9 mixed-breed horses for retrieval of gastric biopsy specimens and 16 additional horses for immunohistochemical analysis. Methods: Gastric biopsy specimens were obtained from 6 horses; 3 of these horses and 3 more participated in an intermittent feed-deprivation trial 9 weeks later. A quantitative PCR assay was used to determine the amount of COX-2 mR...
Results of bacteriological and cytological examinations of the endometrium of subfertile mares in stud farms in Serbia. Uterine microbiology, antimicrobial susceptibility and endometrial cytology were investigated in a total of 51 mares with fertility problems from 16 different stud farms in Serbia. Uterine cultures were performed after collection with a double guarded uterine swab, and endometrial cytology was evaluated after collection of endometrial cells with a special device (cytology brush). In 21 of 51 mares, at least one bacterial species was isolated from the uterus; the most frequent were Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus (13 isolates) and E. coli (four isolates). All isolates of Streptococcus e...
Diagnosis, management, and outcome in 19 horses with deltoid tuberosity fractures. To describe the diagnosis and treatment of fractures of the deltoid tuberosity. Methods: Case series. Methods: Medical records (1992-2009) of 19 horses with radiographic confirmation of deltoid tuberosity fractures were reviewed. Data retrieved included signalment, clinical and diagnostic imaging findings, and treatment. Outcome was determined by telephone questionnaire of owners and referring veterinarians. Results: Most horses were markedly lame on admission and 53% had reduced protraction of the affected limb. All fractures were identified on a cranio45° medial-caudolateral oblique project...
An XY agonadal Oldenburg warmblood horse exhibiting a male phenotype. In a 1.5-year-old Oldenburg horse, a clitoris-like structure instead of a penis was identified in the prepuce. The external genital organs did not show any abnormalities at visual inspection except that exteriorization of the penis was not possible, not even under general anesthesia. The horse's owner observed a continuous dripping of urine and a tendency to mild colics beginning 2 weeks after birth. Testosterone concentration was 0.01 ng/ml and therefore under the threshold for geldings, and the horse did not respond to the application of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). The inner genit...
MCT1, MCT4 and CD147 gene polymorphisms in healthy horses and horses with myopathy. Polymorphisms in human lactate transporter proteins (monocarboxylate transporters; MCTs), especially the MCT1 isoform, can affect lactate transport activity and cause signs of exercise-induced myopathy. Muscles express MCT1, MCT4 and CD147, an ancillary protein, indispensable for the activity of MCT1 and MCT4. We sequenced the coding sequence (cDNA) of horse MCT4 for the first time and examined polymorphisms in the cDNA of MCT1, MCT4 and CD147 of 16 healthy horses. To study whether signs of myopathy are linked to the polymorphisms, biopsy samples were taken from 26 horses with exercise-induced...
Endogenous transplacental transmission of Neospora hughesi in naturally infected horses. Over a 2-yr study period, we investigated possible endogenous transplacental transmission of Neospora hughesi in 74 mare and foal pairs following the diagnosis of neuronal neosporosis in a weanling foal. Presuckle and postsuckle serum of each foal, serum and colostrum of each periparturient mare, and serum of each mare and foal pair, collected at 3-mo intervals thereafter, were tested for N. hughesi using an indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT). Furthermore, whole blood and colostrum samples and placentae were tested for the presence of N. hughesi by real-time PCR. The mares' seroprevalen...
Effect of head and neck position on pharyngeal diameter in horses. Dynamic nasopharyngeal collapse with upper airway obstruction is an important cause of exercise intolerance in performance horses. Its underlying pathophysiology is not fully understood. We hypothesize that head position affects pharyngeal diameter, and thus head position may be a contributing factor to nasopharyngeal obstruction. Fifteen adult healthy horses were subjected to endoscopy and radiography at rest. The pharyngeal diameter was measured at nine different head and neck positions. The effect of sedation and breathing cycle on the pharyngeal diameter was determined, and the relationshi...
Pathological changes caused by Anoplocephala perfoliata in the mucosa/submucosa and in the enteric nervous system of equine ileocecal junction. In this study, pathological changes caused by Anoplocephala perfoliata in the ileocecal junction were investigated in 31 regularly slaughtered mixed-breed horses of both sexes. Our results showed a significant relationship between parasite burden and grading of histopathological lesions in the mucosa and submucosa. Hypertrophy of the circular muscle layer was found in infected horses. Moreover, enteric nervous system evaluation showed a significant injury of intestinal nervous elements in the horses with moderate to high parasitism expressed as an increase of degenerative-regressive changes in...
