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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.
Growth factor and receptor mRNA expression in the intestine of horses with large colon volvulus: a pilot study. Growth factors (GF) are important for maintenance and repair of intestinal mucosal structure and function, but there have been no studies investigating growth factor (GF) or growth factor receptor (GF-R) mRNA expression in the intestine of horses with large colon volvulus (LCV). Objective: (1) To determine mRNA expression for epidermal growth factor (EGF), EGF receptor (EGF-R), insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF), IGF receptor (IGF-R), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and VEGF receptor (VEGF-R) in the intestine of horses with an LCV compared to normal intestine. (2) To measure the corr...
Effects of unilateral laser-assisted ventriculocordectomy in horses with laryngeal hemiplegia. Recent studies have evaluated surgical techniques aimed at reducing noise and improving airway function in horses with recurrent laryngeal neuropathy (RLN). These techniques require general anaesthesia and are invasive. A minimally invasive transnasal surgical technique for treatment of RLN that may be employed in the standing, sedated horse would be advantageous. Objective: To determine whether unilateral laser-assisted ventriculocordectomy (LVC) improves upper airway function and reduces noise during inhalation in exercising horses with laryngeal hemiplegia (LH). Methods: Six Standardbred ho...
Confirmed Datura poisoning in a horse most probably due to D. ferox in contaminated tef hay. Two out of a group of 23 mares exposed to tef hay contaminated with Datura ferox (and possibly D. stramonium) developed colic. The 1st animal was unresponsive to conservative treatment, underwent surgery for severe intestinal atony and had to be euthanased. The 2nd was less seriously affected, responded well to analgesics and made an uneventful recovery. This horse exhibited marked mydriasis on the first 2 days of being poisoned and showed protracted, milder mydriasis for a further 7 days. Scopolamine was chemically confirmed in urine from this horse for 3 days following the colic attack, whil...
Systemic blastomycosis in a horse. Progressive multisystemic disease caused by Blastomyces dermatitidis was diagnosed in a 17-year-old Quarter horse broodmare. The mare had been treated unsuccessfully with antibiotics for mastitis 3 months postpartum. The disease progressed to exudative cutaneous lesions affecting the ventrum, pectoral region, and limbs accompanied by weight loss across several months. Yeast bodies were observed in swabs of the cutaneous exudate, suggesting a clinical diagnosis of blastomycosis. Following referral, pleural effusion, cavitated lung lesions, and hyperproteinemia were identified, and the mare was ...
Halicephalobus gingivalis-associated meningoencephalitis in a Thoroughbred foal. A 13-week-old Thoroughbred colt from central Kentucky was euthanized after an acute onset of ataxia, blindness, head tremors, leaning to the right, recumbency, and seizures. Microscopically, there was a verminous meningoencephalitis characterized by an eosinophilic and granulomatous inflammatory reaction primarily affecting the cerebellum. Dispersed within regions of inflammation were numerous cross and longitudinal sections of intact and degenerative small nematodes. The nematodes had dorsoflexed ovaries and ventroflexed vulvas, which are distinguishing features of Halicephalobus gingivalis. ...
A serological study of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi in Thoroughbreds in Trinidad. Ninety-three (93) horses were investigated for serum antibodies to Theileria equi (T. equi) and Babesia caballi (B. caballi) using the immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT). Seventy-seven (82.8%) horses were seropositive; 31 (33.3%) were positive to T. equi compared to 64 (68.8%) to B. caballi while 18 (19.4%) horses were seropositive to both parasites. No significant differences in antibody frequencies among females and males for either T. equi or B. caballi were noted. Differences in seropositivity to B. caballi among age groups were not significant. Antibodies to T. equi were more frequent...
Detection of respiratory herpesviruses in foals and adult horses determined by nested multiplex PCR. A nested multiplex PCR was developed as a rapid (<12h), sensitive test for the simultaneous identification of equine herpesviruses (EHV1, EHV4, EHV2 and EHV5) in clinical samples from horses. Peripheral blood and nasal swab (NS) samples from 205 weanling Thoroughbred foals on 6 different studs over 3 consecutive seasons and from 92 adult horses without clinical signs of respiratory disease were examined using direct multiplex PCR of clinical samples (direct PCR) and conventional cell culture with differentiation of EHV in cell cultures by multiplex PCR. Multiplex PCR proved a sensitive and ...
The involvement of mast cells and mast cell proteinases in the intestinal response to equine cyathostomin infection. Cyathostomins (Cyathostominae) are regarded as the most pathogenic equine nematode worldwide. These nematodes are difficult to control in equine populations due to emerging anthelmintic resistance and evasion of encysted larval cyathostomins to regular modern anthelmintics. Mast cells and their proteinases have been shown to play a role in the mammalian immune response to nematode infections. Involvement of mast cells and mast cell proteinases in the equine immune response to cyathostomin infection is proposed. A technique was established to perform immunohistochemical staining using polyclona...
Cases of reduced cyathostomin egg-reappearance period and failure of Parascaris equorum egg count reduction following ivermectin treatment as well as survey on pyrantel efficacy on German horse farms. In 2003 and 2004, on a total of 63 different German horse farms, a survey using the faecal egg count reduction (FECR) test was performed to investigate the efficacy of ivermectin (IVM, Ivomec) and pyrantel (PYR, Banminth) treatment against gastro-intestinal nematodes in a total of 767 horses. IVM treatment resulted in 100% reduction of the cyathostomin egg production 14 and 21 days post-treatment (d.p.t.) on 37 farms. On the remaining five farms, the mean faecal egg count reduction ranged between 97.7 and 99.9%. The mean cyathostomin FECR following PYR treatment ranged between 92.2 and 100% on...
Serodiagnosis of equine infectious anemia by agar gel immunodiffusion and ELISA using a recombinant p26 viral protein expressed in Escherichia coli as antigen. We used a p26 recombinant protein (p26r) from equine infectious-anemia virus (EIAV) expressed in Escherichia coli as antigen to standardize an agar-gel immunodiffusion (AGIDp26r) test and an indirect ELISA (ELISAp26r) for the detection of antibodies against EIAV in 720 equine sera from Brazil. We evaluated the tests's relative diagnostic sensitivities (relSe) and relative diagnostic specificities (relSp) against a commercial AGID kit (Idexx, USA). We used three sera panels: panel A--196 AGID-negative sera from an AIE non-endemic controlled area; panel B--194 AGID-negative sera from an AIE ende...
Heterophile antibody interference in a solid phase sandwich immunoassay for detection of equine growth hormone in plasma. Heterophile antibodies (HAs) present in serum recognize animal immunoglobulins and are one of the most unpredictable causes of false results in immunoassays. However, no study has yet reported their interference on the diagnostic reliability of immunochemical analyses on horse plasma. Recently, we developed a sandwich ELISA for detection of equine growth hormone (eGH) in plasma. In a pilot study to measure basal eGH levels (blood samples were drawn from 13 horses every 10 min for 1h), we noted one horse with abnormally high eGH (>100 ng/mL). We demonstrate here that this plasma eGH level wa...
Myosin heavy chain composition in normal and atrophic equine laryngeal muscle. The myosin heavy chain (MHC) composition of a given muscle determines the contractile properties and, therefore, the fiber type distribution of the muscle. MHC isoform expression in the laryngeal muscle is modulated by neural input and function, and it represents the cellular level changes that occur with denervation and reinnervation of skeletal muscle. The objective of this study was to evaluate the pattern of MHC isoform expression in laryngeal muscle harvested from normal cadavers and cadavers with naturally occurring left laryngeal hemiplegia secondary to recurrent laryngeal neuropathy. L...
Platelets in equine recurrent airway obstruction. Platelets contribute to the pathogenesis of human allergic airway disease. The aim of this study was to compare platelet activating factor (PAF)-induced platelet aggregation and thromboxane (Tx) production, plasma Tx and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in ponies with recurrent airway obstruction (RAO), an hypersensitivity to inhaled antigens, and normal ponies, before and after antigen exposure. Plasma 5-HT was significantly higher in ponies with RAO but was not further increased by antigen challenge. There was no difference between PAF-induced platelet aggregation or Tx production, or in plasma Tx...
Direct-injection screening for acidic drugs in plasma and neutral drugs in equine urine by differential-gradient LC-LC coupled MS/MS. Direct-injection LC-LC hybrid tandem MS methods have been developed for undertaking broad-based screening for acidic drugs in protein-precipitated plasma and neutral doping agents in equine urine. In both analyses, analytes present in the matrix were trapped using a HLB extraction column before being refocused and separated on a Chromolith RP-18e monolithic analytical column using a controlled differential gradient generated by proportional dilution of the first column's eluent with water. Each method has been optimised by the adoption of a mobile phase and gradient that was tailored to enhanc...
Fecal NIRS: detection of tick infestations in cattle and horses. Anti-tick treatments are often applied concurrent to routine livestock management practices with little regard to actual infestation levels. Prescription treatments against ticks on grazing cattle would be facilitated by non-invasive detection methods. One such method is fecal near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Four studies utilizing cattle (Bos spp.) and one with horses (Equus caballus) fed varying diets and infested with either Amblyomma americanum, A. maculatum, A. cajennense or Dermacentor albipictus were conducted to determine the ability of fecal NIRS to identify samples from animals wit...
Proline-glutamic acid-proline-lysine peptide set as a specific antigen for the serological diagnosis of strangles. The reactivity of synthesised peptide sets for the M-like proteins SeM and SzPSe with sera from horses infected with Streptococcus equi or Streptococcus zooepidemicus, or control horses, was investigated by an ELISA. Seventeen horses were infected experimentally with S equi or S zooepidemicus, convalescent sera were obtained from 25 horses and control sera were obtained from 1945 horses. The serum antibody responses of individual horses to the peptide sets were highly variable. Some of the peptide sets for SeM reacted strongly with the sera from the horses infected experimentally with S equi, ...
Equine sweating and anhidrosis Part 1–equine sweating. Sweating has a variety of functions in mammals including pheromone action, excretion of waste products and maintenance of the skin surface ecosystem. In a small number of mammalian species, which includes humans and the Equidae, it also has an important role in thermoregulation. This review is focused specifically on the thermoregulatory role of sweat in Equidae and the causes of sweating failure (anhidrosis). The first part describes the glandular appearance, sweat composition, and output rates; and considers the latest theories on the glandular control and secretory mechanisms. It is conclud...
A single amino acid difference within the alpha-2 domain of two naturally occurring equine MHC class I molecules alters the recognition of Gag and Rev epitopes by equine infectious anemia virus-specific CTL. Although CTL are critical for control of lentiviruses, including equine infectious anemia virus, relatively little is known regarding the MHC class I molecules that present important epitopes to equine infectious anemia virus-specific CTL. The equine class I molecule 7-6 is associated with the equine leukocyte Ag (ELA)-A1 haplotype and presents the Env-RW12 and Gag-GW12 CTL epitopes. Some ELA-A1 target cells present both epitopes, whereas others are not recognized by Gag-GW12-specific CTL, suggesting that the ELA-A1 haplotype comprises functionally distinct alleles. The Rev-QW11 CTL epitope is...
Changes in central venous pressure and blood lactate concentration in response to acute blood loss in horses. To evaluate selected hemodynamic, blood gas, and biochemical responses to mild to moderate acute blood loss in standing, awake horses. Methods: Prospective study. Methods: 7 healthy mares. Methods: Each horse was restrained in standing stocks, and its head was maintained in a neutral position; sedatives and tranquilizers were not administered. During a 1-hour period, blood was collected into collection bags by use of a suction pump. The rate of blood collection was approximately 16 mL/kg/h (7.3 mL/lb/h). Thirty minutes after blood collection, the blood was readministered at the same rate. Cent...
[Animal nutrition for veterinarians–case study: colic in ponies in a “petting zoo” caused by ingestion of higher amounts of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)]. Nutritional disorders in domestic or pet animals depend not seldom on special situations, for example when different influences coincide concerning keeping, housing and offering of feed or water. These lead suddenly to high-risk situations, that can cause sometimes the death of the animal. The following case report deals with two ponies, that were kept on a so-called "petting zoo" and showed repeatedly colic symptoms (always after a weekend). During surgery in the stomach light yellow balls were found, that can be explained by ingestion of 1.0 to 1.5 kg wheat. This cereals consist--depending o...
Septic epiglottic chondritis with abscessation in 2 young Thoroughbred racehorses. Septic epiglottic chondritis with abscessation diagnosed in 2 Thoroughbred racehorses. Infected cartilage removed videoendoscopically followed by systemic antibiotics. The infectious process was successfully controlled, but permanent dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP) with a shortened, deformed epiglottic cartilage developed. Surgery for the DDSP using bilateral partial sternothyroidectomy or laryngeal tie-forward failed. Chondrite septique abcédée de l’épiglotte chez 2 jeunes chevaux de course Thoroughbred. Une chondrite septique abcédée de l’épiglotte a été diagnostiqu...
Treatment of chronic proximal suspensory desmitis in horses using focused electrohydraulic shockwave therapy. The objective of the present clinical report was to investigate the short- and long-term outcomes of chronic proximal suspensory desmitis (PSD) treated with Extracorporeal Shockwave Treatment (ESWT). Fifty-two horses with chronic PSD in the forelimb (34 cases) or hindlimb (22 cases) were included in the study. Three horses had lesions in both hindlimbs and one in both forelimbs. The origin of the suspensory ligament was treated every three weeks for a total of three treatments using 2000 impulses applied by a focused ESWT device (Equitron) at an energy flux density of 0.15 mJ/ mm2. This treatm...
Technetium-99m-HDP uptake characteristics in equine fractures: a retrospective study. Bone scintigraphy is a very sensitive diagnostic tool to detect elevated bone metabolism. In cases of fractures and fissure fractures, the radiopharmaceutical uptake in the bone is said to be increased within a few hours after the injury. In this retrospective study, the scintigraphic uptake characteristics at the fracture site of 36 horses with radiographically confirmed fractures or fissure fractures were evaluated. Uptake ratios between the fracture region and adjacent normal bone or soft tissue activity respectively were calculated and compared to different anamnestic and radiographic data...
Amniotic membrane transplantation for corneal surface reconstruction after excision of corneolimbal squamous cell carcinomas in nine horses. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness and effectiveness of permanent amniotic membrane transplantation as an adjunctive treatment to superficial keratectomy alone or combined with strontium-90 irradiation for treatment of equine corneolimbal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) to decrease corneal scarring and recurrence rate. Methods: The retrospective case study included 11 horses (n = 12 eyes) diagnosed and treated for ocular SCC that involved the limbus and cornea. Nine of those horses (n = 9 eyes) were treated between 2002 and 2006, with superficial lamellar keratectomy alone ...
Cyclooxygenase expression in the early stages of equine laminitis: a cytologic study. Recent reports indicate increased amounts of mRNA from inflammation-related genes in the prodromal stage of laminitis. Objective: Cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) undergo distinct patterns of expression in equine laminae in the developmental stage (DEV) and acute clinical stage (LAM) of laminitis. Methods: Horses selected from an outbred population were placed into 1 of 4 groups: DEV (n = 5), CON-3h (control group for DEV, n = 5), LAM (n = 5) and CON-10h (control group for LAM, n = 5). Methods: Laminar and skin samples were obtained from (1) animals either undergoing leuko...
Molecular characterization of the equine collagen, type IX, alpha 2 (COL9A2) gene on horse chromosome 2p16–>p15. The mammalian collagen, type IX, alpha 2 gene (COL9A2) encodes the alpha-2 chain of type IX collagen and is located on horse chromosome 2p16-->p14 harbouring a quantitative trait locus for osteochondrosis. We isolated a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clone containing the equine COL9A2 gene and determined the complete genomic sequence of this gene. Cloning and characterization of equine COL9A2 revealed that the equine gene consists of 32 exons spanning approximately 15 kb. The COL9A2 transcript encodes a single protein of 688 amino acids. Thirty two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)...
