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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.
Pulmonary ultrasonographic abnormalities associated with naturally occurring equine influenza virus infection in standardbred racehorses. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if naturally occurring acute infectious upper respiratory disease (IRD) caused by equine influenza virus is associated with ultrasonographically detectable pleural and pulmonary abnormalities in horses. Standardbred racehorses were evaluated for signs of IRD, defined as acute coughing or mucopurulent nasal discharge. For every horse with IRD (n = 16), 1 or 2 horses with no signs of IRD and the same owner or trainer (n = 30) were included. Thoracic ultrasonography was performed within 5-10 days of the onset of clinical disease in horses with IR...
Management of hemodynamic changes associated with removal of a large abdominal myofibroblastic tumor in a pony. A 22-year-old female Welsh-cross pony was evaluated because of intermittent colic, signs of depression, pyrexia, anorexia, muscle wasting with abdominal distention, and weight gain over the preceding 12 months. A large abdominal mass was detected and surgically removed; the hemodynamic alterations and complications caused by the dramatic fluid losses and shifts that can occur in association with removal of a large abdominal mass required extensive postoperative management. Monitoring of clinical and hematologic variables such as attitude, heart rate, mucous membrane color, mean arterial blood ...
Pigmented squamous cell carcinoma of the conjunctiva of a horse. Abstract A heavily pigmented tumor was removed from the lateral, perilimbal, bulbar conjunctiva of a bay Thoroughbred horse. Excision was incomplete and the base of the tumor was lasered on the assumption that the tumor was a melanoma. No other ophthalmic lesions were seen. Histology showed the mass to be a pigmented squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The prognosis and recommended treatment protocols are different for SCC and melanoma. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the first report of an ocular, pigmented SCC in the veterinary literature.
Profiles of matrix metalloproteinase activity in equine tear fluid during corneal healing in 10 horses with ulcerative keratitis. Levels of tear film matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) activity are significantly elevated in horses with ulcerative keratitis and contribute to the excessive breakdown of stromal collagen. Changes in the amount of proteolytic activity in horse tear film during corneal healing and stromal remodeling have not yet been reported, but we hypothesize they should decrease. In the present study we analyzed serial tear fluid from horses with ulcerative keratitis to identify any changes in MMP activity during corneal healing and stromal remodeling. Methods: Samples of tear fluid were obtained from both e...
[Death by cyathostominosis]. In autumn 2002 and 2003, the Animal Health Service received several young horses for post mortem investigation that had died or had been euthanised. It was found that severe cyathostominosis was the cause of death. The aetiology, pathology and diagnosis of this infection is discussed. Advice is given for preventative measures and usage of anthelmintics.
[Rectal tears in the horse: a literature review]. Rectal tears are a relatively rare complication of rectal palpation, mating, or dystocia, and idiopathic rectal perforation is an incidental finding. Rectal tears can be classified according to a 3 or a 4-grade system. This article describes medical and surgical treatment for rectal tears.
[Rectal tears in the horse: two case reports]. Rectal tears occur incidentally and often have a poor prognosis. Early recognition of the problem and adequate therapy determine the outcome. The history, clinical examination, therapy, and outcome of two horses with grade IIIb and grade IV rectal tears are discussed.
[Rectal tears in the horse: malpractice or an unfortunate accident?]. Rectal tears are a relatively rare complication of rectal palpation, mating or dystocia, and idiopathic spontaneous occurrence of rectal perforation has also been described. Rectal tears have been classified in a three or a four-grade system. Immediate recognition of the fact that a tear has been made and prompt action will improve the horses chance of survival, and is the best defence of the veterinarian against legislation. There is no clear explanation why rectal tears sometimes occur. A questionnaire of the Netherlands Equine Veterinary Association revealed that rectal tears occurred both ...
Effects of syringe material and temperature and duration of storage on the stability of equine arterial blood gas variables. To evaluate the consistency of partial pressures (P) of arterial oxygen (aO(2)), arterial carbon dioxide (aCO(2)) and pH measurements in equine carotid arterial blood samples taken into syringes made from three different materials and stored at room temperature or placed in iced water for measurement at three different times. Methods: Prospective observational study over 19 days. Methods: Four clinically normal Thoroughbred or Thoroughbred-cross horses (three geldings, one mare, mean age 6.25 years, range 5-7 years). Methods: Identical blood samples were taken on two separate occasions from th...
Equine cyathostomins. This collection of articles provides an in depth account of five presentations delivered during the Symposium on Equine Cyathostomins held at the 19th International Conference of the World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology (WAAVP), New Orleans, Louisiana,10–14 August 2003. The symposium was organized and chaired by Ray M. Kaplan and Jacqui B. Matthews and focused on new developments in two major areas of current importance: the immunobiology of cyathostomin–horse interactions and anthelmintic resistance.
The immune response to equine arteritis virus: potential lessons for other arteriviruses. The members of the family Arteriviridae, genus Arterivirus, include equine arteritis virus (EAV), porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus (LDV) of mice, and simian hemorrhagic fever virus (SHFV). PRRSV is the newest member of the family (first isolated in North America and Europe in the early 1990s), whereas the other three viruses were recognized earlier (EAV in 1953, LDV in 1960, and SHFV in 1964). Although arterivirus infections are strictly species-specific, the causative agents share many biological and molecular properties, inclu...
Population pharmacokinetics of marbofloxacin in horses: preliminary analysis. Population pharmacokinetic of marbofloxacin was investigated on 21 healthy and 16 diseased horses to assess interindividual variability of drug exposure. Demographic, physiologic and disease covariables were tested using mixed effects models. As a preliminary analysis, this study has demonstrated that none of the tested covariables were significant in regression models for compartmental volumes or clearance of distribution, but the clinical status of the horse (healthy/diseased) was a significant covariable (P < 0.01) for systemic clearance. Clearance had a lower mean and a higher variance ...
Influence of breathing pattern and lung inflation on impulse oscillometry measurements in horses. The objective of this paper was to determine if changes in ventilation patterns could influence the outcome of respiratory function measurements performed with our impulse oscillometry system (IOS) in horses. In a first study, IOS tests were performed in vitro on six isolated equine lungs. Lung inflation levels were controlled by modifying depressurisation inside an artificial thorax and different ventilation patterns were imposed. In a second in vivo study, transient variations in breathing pattern were evaluated both with the IOS and a current reference technique (CRT) in five healthy mature...
Fatal yew (Taxus sp) poisoning in Willamette Valley, Oregon, horses. Despite the well-founded reputation of plants of the genus Taxus as being amongst the most toxic plants for domestic livestock in the US, there are surprisingly few published case reports of yew poisoning in horses. This report documents 2 acute fatalities in horses in the central Willamette Valley, OR associated with the consumption of Taxus sp. The predominant features of the intoxication were peracute death, with no signs of struggling or convulsions, in otherwise fit and well managed adult horses. The most significant gross necropsy findings were limited to pulmonary congestion and hemorrh...
Ultrasonography of the solar aspect of the distal phalanx in the horse. Ultrasonographic examinations were performed on the solar aspect of the distal phalanx of 10 feet of five normal live horses (Group 1), 22 feet of seven normal cadavers (Group 2), and nine feet of five horses with pathology of the dorsal solar aspect of the distal phalanx (Group 3). Lateromedial radiographs of the distal phalanx were made in all groups, and in Group 2, digits were sagitally sectioned after imaging. The ultrasonographic and radiographic appearance of the sagittal solar aspect of the distal phalanx was described. Measurements of the distance between the sole and the distal tip o...
African horsesickness virus serotyping and identification of multiple co-infecting serotypes with a single genome segment 2 RT-PCR amplification and reverse line blot hybridization. Since protection against African horsesickness (AHS) is serotype-specific, rapid serotyping of AHSV is crucial to identify the correct vaccine serotype for efficient control of the spread of AHS outbreaks, especially when they occur in non-endemic regions. This paper describes the first one-day serotyping procedure that requires only a single RT-PCR and hybridization and which can identify multiple serotypes in mixed infections in one assay. The same region of genome segment 2 of all nine AHSV serotypes is amplified in a single RT-PCR. A universal primer set, designed to amplify the 5'-termina...
Enzootiology of Trypanosoma evansi in Pantanal, Brazil. In order to better understand the enzootiology of trypanosomiasis caused by Trypanosoma evansi in the Brazilian Pantanal we examined domestic and wild mammals by microhematocrit centrifuge technique (MHCT), immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). T. evansi infection was detected in all species sampled with exception of the sheep and the feral pig. High parasitemias were observed in capybaras (5/24), coatis (18/115), horses (31/321) and dogs (3/112). Among these species, only the capybaras did not develop anemia. Low parasitemias, only detected by PCR, were ...
Effects of short-term early gestational exposure to endophyte-infected tall fescue diets on plasma 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl acetic acid and fetal development in mares. Consumption of wild-type (toxic) endophyte-infected tall fescue (E+) by horses during late gestation is known to adversely affect pregnancy outcome; however, little is known of the potential disruptive consequences of E+ consumption by mares during the critical phases of placentation and fetal development in early pregnancy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the detrimental effects of feeding E+ to mares during early gestation. Mares (n = 12) paired by stage of gestation (d 65 to 100) were assigned to diets (six per diet) consisting of endophyte-free (E-) or E+ tall fescue seed (50% ...
Use of a hand-assisted laparoscopic technique for removal of a uterine leiomyoma in a standing mare. A 20-year-old Thoroughbred mare was evaluated because of a 2-year history of infertility. The mare had normal estrous cycles and had been bred 7 times by different stallions. Ultrasonographic examination revealed a homogeneous hyperechoic intramural mass in the tip of the right uterine horn; the mass was also detected via hysteroscopy Unilateral ovariectomy and partial hysterectomy were performed by use of a hand-assisted laparoscopic technique. Leiomyoma was diagnosed via histologic examination of the mass. Unilateral ovariectomy and partial hysterectomy are recommended in mares with leiomyom...
Evaluation of experimental methods to induce congenital hypothyroidism in guinea pigs for use in the study of congenital hypothyroidism in horses. To develop a method to reliably induce congenital hypothyroidism in guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) and assess similarities between the resultant developmental abnormalities and those described in horses with congenital hypothyroidism. Methods: 35 female guinea pigs and their offspring. Methods: Guinea pigs were allocated to control groups or groups treated with a low-iodine diet before and throughout gestation; an s.c. injection of 100 or 200 microCi of radioactive iodine 131 (131I) on day 40 of gestation; or 0.1% propylthiouracil (PTU) continuously in the drinking water, beginning day 3 or 40 ...
Retrospective study of the risk factors and prevalence of colic in horses after orthopaedic surgery. The records of 496 orthopaedic operations on 428 horses were reviewed to estimate the prevalence of, and identify the risk factors for, the development of colic in horses after surgery. Colic was defined as any recognised sign of abdominal pain that could not be attributed to a concurrent disease. Fourteen of the horses developed colic; eight of them were undiagnosed, three were classified as impactions, one as tympanic colic of the colon, one as incarceration of the small intestine in the epiploic foramen, and one as left dorsal displacement of the colon in the nephrosplenic space. Morphine w...
Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) in equine colic: an immunohistochemical study of horses with obstructive disorders of the small and large intestines. The gastrointestinal pacemaker cells, the interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC), have been implicated in several human gastrointestinal dysmotility syndromes. Recently, the involvement of these cells in equine gastrointestinal diseases has been investigated in cases of equine grass sickness where a significant reduction in ICC density was observed. Objective: To investigate ICC density in equine obstructive gastrointestinal disorders using immunohistochemical labelling methods. Methods: Intestinal samples were analysed from 44 horses undergoing exploratory surgery for colic and from 11 control ani...
Differences in the topographical distribution of articular cartilage degeneration between equine metacarpo- and metatarsophalangeal joints. The equine metacarpophalangeal (MCP) and metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joints, although having virtually the same geometrical appearance, differ in the prevalence of joint pathologies, such as osteochondral fragmentation, and in biomechanical behaviour. The recently developed cartilage degeneration index (CDI) technique offers a possibility to assess quantitatively differences in cartilage degeneration between these joints and to compare these with known differences in biomechanics and clinical observations. Objective: To compare the topographical distribution of articular cartilage degeneration a...
Kinematic evaluation of the back in fully functioning riding horses. Clinical history and examination are important features in diagnosis of equine back dysfunction. However, interpretation is subjective and therefore may vary substantially. Objective: To establish a clinical tool to objectively evaluate the function of the equine back, in the form of a database on the kinematics of the back at the walk and trot in fully functioning riding horses. Methods: Thirty-three fully functioning riding horses walked and trotted on a treadmill. Morphometrics and kinematics were tested for correlations to age, height, weight and stride length, and differences between gend...
Clinical anatomy of the equine sphenopalatine sinus. Disorders of the equine sphenopalatine sinus, including empyema and neoplasia, have been reported to cause damage to cranial nerves II and V. However, the clinical anatomy of these sinuses is not well described in horses. Objective: To examine the anatomy of the sphenopalatine sinuses in a range of equidae and, in particular, to examine the relationship of these sinuses to adjacent major nerves and vessels. Methods: The anatomy of the sphenoidal and palatine paranasal sinuses was examined in 16 equidae, primarily using transverse skull sections. Relevant structures were documented and photogra...
Relationship between scintigraphic and radiographic evaluations of spinous processes in the thoracolumbar spine in riding horses without clinical signs of back problems. Radiography and scintigraphy are used to aid diagnosis of the cause of back pain, but a large variation in appearance and radiopharmaceutical uptake in fully functioning horses make diagnosis difficult. Objective: To describe the range of and compare scintigraphic and radiographic findings in the spinous processes of horses without clinical signs of back problems. Methods: Thirty-three apparently normal riding horses underwent scintigraphic and radiographic examinations of the spinous processes in the thoracolumbar spine. Scintigraphic images were evaluated in a continuous blue, green and red ...
Myonecrosis and cutaneous infarction associated with Salmonella serovar Infantum infection in a horse. A 5-year-old Quarter Horse mare was referred for evaluation of oral ulcers, limb edema, weight loss, and weakness. There was marked diffuse swelling extending from the stifle region to the tarsal region of the left hind limb, and the horse had a left hind limb lameness. Firm swellings ranging from 2 to 15 cm in diameter and consisting of nodules, plaques, and discrete masses were palpated on both sides of the neck, over the right shoulder region, over the left elbow region, and over the left caudoventral aspect of the abdomen. Laboratory abnormalities included hypoproteinemia, neutrophilia, an...
Evaluation of early fetal loss induced by gavage with eastern tent caterpillars in pregnant mares. To determine whether gavage of pregnant mares (housed without access to pasture) with starved eastern tent caterpillars (ETCs) or their excreta is associated with early fetal loss (EFL), panophthalmitis, or pericarditis. Methods: Randomized clinical trial. Methods: 15 mares. Methods: 15 mares with fetuses from 40 to 80 days of gestation (dGa) were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups and received 2.5 g of ETC excreta, 50 g of starved ETCs, or 500 mL of water, respectively, once daily for 10 days. Mares were housed in box stalls, walked twice daily, and not allowed access to pasture for 12 days b...
Detection of anti-diabetics in equine plasma and urine by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Anti-diabetics such as sulfonylurea and thiazolidinedione derivatives are hypoglycemic drugs used for the treatment of diabetes. However, they can also be used as a stopper in horseracing. This paper describes a convenient method for the separation and simultaneous detection of 10 anti-diabetic drugs (namely glipizide, glibenclamide, glimepiride, gliclazide, tolazamide, tolbutamide, nateglinide, repaglinide, rosiglitazone and pioglitazone) in equine plasma and urine by LC-MS-MS. Methods: The anti-diabetics were isolated from equine plasma and urine by liquid-liquid extraction with 1,2-dichloro...
