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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.
Prevalence of antibodies to Neospora sp. in horses from Alabama and characterisation of an isolate recovered from a naturally infected horse [corrected]. An IFAT was used to determine the prevalence of Neospora-specific IgG antibodies in serum from Alabama horses. Serum samples (n = 536) were from asymptomatic horses routinely submitted for equine infectious anaemia virus infection testing. We also subjected a 13-year-old horse with CNS disease to necropsy examination for isolation and in vitro cultivation of protozoal organisms. In antemortem tests, this horse was positive for antibodies to Neospora sp. in the IFAT and western immunoblot. Results of the prevalence survey indicated that IgG antibodies to Neospora were present in 62 (11.5%) of t...
Retrospective study of subchondral sclerosis and lucency in the third carpal bone of Standardbred trotters. The aim was to investigate radiographic findings of subchondral sclerosis and subchondral lucency in the dorsoproximal-dorsodistal (DPr-DDi) projection of the third carpal bone (C3) in relation to clinical appearance and to prognosis for racing. In a retrospective study, case records of 89 Standardbred trotters diagnosed with traumatic carpitis confirmed with intra-articular anaesthesia were examined. Records included data on degree of lameness at presentation and after flexion tests and a radiographic examination of the carpus, including a DPr-DDi projection of the C3. Subchondral lucency was...
A survey of white line disease in Japanese racehorses. A survey was carried out into white line disease in 1781 Thoroughbred racehorses kept in stables at the Japan Racing Association (JRA) Miho Training Center (MTC) September-October 1996. The survey was conducted while horses were being shod by farriers. The horses that still exhibited damaged white lines after regular trimming were diagnosed as having white line disease. The factors recorded were age, sex, number of diseased horses, number of diseased hooves, number of lesions by region over the bearing border of the hoof and the classified length of such lesions. The percentage of total diseas...
[35 leptospira isolated from the vitreous body of 32 horses with recurrent uveitis (ERU)]. 130 vitreous samples, systematically collected in 1998 from 117 horses during vitrectomy, were cultured for the presence of leptospires. All horses suffered from equine recurrent uveitis (ERU), also known as periodic ophthalmia or moon blindness, and were treated surgically to combat painful attacks, and to preserve vision. In 35 out of 130 vitreous samples (35/130 = 26.9%), leptospires could be isolated. These isolates belong to the grippotyphosa serogroup (n = 31) and to the australis serogroup (n = 4). So, for the first time, leptospires were recovered from eyes in vivo in a large number of...
Equine dental disease part 2: a long-term study of 400 cases: disorders of development and eruption and variations in position of the cheek teeth. Of 400 referred horses with dental disorders, 349 cases suffered from primary disorders of their cheek teeth, ninety of these from disorders of development or eruption, or displacements. These included 20 cases with rostral maxillary and caudal mandibular cheek teeth overgrowths, 16 with diastemata, 15 with grossly enlarged mandibular 'eruption cysts', 4 with grossly enlarged maxillary cheek teeth 'eruption cysts', 10 cases with supernumerary cheek teeth and 23 cases with displaced cheek teeth. These displacements were believed to be developmental in 16 cases and acquired in the remaining 7 ca...
Radiological study to evaluate suspected scapulohumeral joint dysplasia in Shetland ponies. A radiological study was performed to test the hypothesis that osteoarthritis of the scapulohumeral joint in Shetland ponies is secondary to shoulder dysplasia. Animals were selected into 3 groups: Group 1: Shetland ponies with a radiological and clinical diagnosis of scapulohumeral osteoarthritis (n = 8); Group 2: Shetland ponies without forelimb lameness (n = 12); Group 3: Horses/ponies without a history or clinical signs of forelimb lameness (n = 22). Anatomical indices were measured from mediolateral radiographs of a scapulohumeral joint from each animal. There was a significant difference...
The association of Clostridium botulinum type C with equine grass sickness: a toxicoinfection? The cause of grass sickness, an equine dysautonomia, is unknown. The disease usually results in death. Gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction is a common clinical manifestation in all forms of the disease. It is generally thought that equine grass sickness (EGS) is caused by an ingested or enterically produced neurotoxin which is absorbed through the GI tract. Clostridium botulinum was first implicated as a causative agent when it was isolated from the GI tract of a horse with EGS in 1919. The aim of the present study was to investigate the hypothesis that EGS results from toxicoinfection with C. b...
[Rhinopneumonia or mycotoxin intoxication? Neurologic phenomena in horses from a riding school]. In the course of several days most of the 40 riding-school horses turned out in paddocks developed ataxia of variable severity. Five of these horses showed severe ataxia and tremors, became paralyzed and were euthanized. Eleven privately-owned horses which were stabled on the same premises showed no clinical signs. The most likely diagnosis seemed to be the 'neurological form of EHV1', although the signs were not entirely typical. A few weeks later a second outbreak occurred among the riding-school horses and one of the privately-owned horses also showed signs of ataxia. In the meantime it had...
Characterisation of lymphocyte subpopulations in the skin and circulation of horses with sweet itch (Culicoides hypersensitivity). Circulating lymphocyte numbers are elevated in horses with the allergic skin disease sweet itch and skin lesions are typified by an infiltrate of eosinophils and mononuclear cells, the latter of which have not been fully characterised. The aim of the present study was to characterise the lymphocyte subpopulations in the circulation and skin of ponies with sweet itch by flow cytometry and a newly developed modified alkaline phosphatase immunohistochemical technique. Sweet itch ponies were found to have significantly greater numbers of circulating CD5+ and CD4+ T-lymphocytes than normal animals....
A serological and clinical follow-up in horses with confirmed equine granulocytic ehrlichiosis. For diagnosis of equine granulocytic ehrlichiosis (EGE) serological testing of antibodies to Ehrlichia equi is frequently used. An elevated antibody level is often misinterpreted as confirmative of active infection and results in treatment with antibiotics. If only seropositivity is considered as the diagnostic criterium, many horses showing convalescence titres will be treated. This study was undertaken to obtain information about the kinetics of antibodies during the course of infection and, for this purpose, 45 horses with clinical signs of EGE and confirmed ehrlichiaemia were monitored ser...
In vitro mechanical properties of different equine hoof wall crack fixation techniques. Hoof wall cracks need mechanical stabilisation to allow healing. Common techniques are fixation with screws, wires and plates or bonding of a patch across the crack. An in vitro system to determine the shear properties of equine hoof crack repairs is described. The force and displacement at yield, stiffness and ultimate force were determined for 4 repair techniques based on an acrylic material, polyurethane patch attached with cyanoacrylate adhesive, steel plate attached with screws and a transverse metal bar cut into the hoof wall. The cyanoacrylate bonded patch repair had lower values for al...
[Evaluation of intravenous immunotherapy with purified F(ab’)2 fragments (Viperfav)]. To assess early clinical and biological prognosis factors in viper envenomings, and assess efficacy of Viperfav immunotherapy. Viperfav contains purified F(ab')2 fragments of equine antibodies. Methods: A retrospective case review study of viper envenomings collected by two poison centers in France, treated or not treated by Viperfav, was conducted. Two hundred seven cases of viper bites including 119 moderate or severe envenomings (Grade II and III, recorded in adults and children and collected from 1992 to 1997 were included. Before treatment, clinical gradation and early biological severity...
An apparently gluten-induced photosensitivity in horses. Primary photosensitization was observed in 3 Appaloosa mares. The skin lesions were diffuse erythema followed by edema and subsequently weeping and finally dry gangrene and ulceration. The severe photosensitivity dermatitis was apparently induced by gluten ingestion. Resolution of lesions occurred after withdrawal of the suspected dairy concentrate feed and prevention of exposure to sunlight. Neither the ponies nor donkey, which were not fed with the suspected concentrate, exhibited similar skin lesions or other clinical abnormalities. Gluten metabolites may contain photodynamic agents that ca...
Monensin poisoning in Brazilian horses. Three outbreaks of monensin poisoning caused 12 deaths in 16 horses. The illnesses were associated with the ingestion of the same batch of a commercial ration labeled for feeder calves which contained 180 +/- 20 ppm sodium monensin. The morbidity rate was 100% and lethality was 60%, 75%, and 100%. Clinical signs were tachycardia and cardiac arrythmia, groaning, incoordination, sudoresis, recumbency, and paddling movements with the limbs before death. Two horses had dark discolored urine (myoglobinuria). Serum levels of creatine phosphokinase activity were increased. Main necropsy findings were...
Clinical pharmacology of nervous system diseases. The well-developed defense barriers of the CNS and the expense of drug therapy limit the pharmacologic options for the treatment of neurologic diseases in horses. New approaches to controlling inflammation in the CNS are improving the outcomes of bacterial meningitis. The appropriate treatment of EPM remains controversial. More research is needed to evaluate the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of drugs in the CNS of the horse. Behavioral pharmacology has become fashionable in human and small animal medicine, but it needs to be evaluated for the potential of unethical use in performance h...
Injection site eosinophilic granulomas and collagenolysis in 3 horses. Three horses were presented with a history of having developed raised cutaneous nodules, within 24-48 hours, in areas of previous injections using standard silicone-coated hypodermic needles. Skin biopsies were taken from a selected cutaneous nodule from all horses for histopathologic evaluation. Histologically, the nodules were consistent with a diagnosis of equine eosinophilic granuloma. A hypersensitivity reaction to the silicone, or another component of the coating formulation, was hypothesized to be responsible for these lesions. Two horses were experimentally injected using both coated a...
Pharmacologic considerations in the treatment of neonatal septicemia and its complications. This article focuses on the pharmacologic properties of drugs commonly used in the treatment of neonatal septicemia and its complications. Rational therapy demands an awareness of not only the pharmacology of individual drugs but also the interactions and anticipated fate of such drugs in the rapidly changing physiologic environment of the neonate. Further research in the area of equine neonatal pharmacology should greatly assist our understanding of the impact of the disease state on the unique physiology of the newborn and should allow us to better predict the ultimate fate of drugs commonly...
Formulary of common equine drugs. This article presents in easily accessible form a collection of drug names and dose rates for the drugs recommended or referred to by the authors of the individual articles in this issue. Although the formulary provides recommendations for drug use, the reader is cautioned that the responsibility for the choice of agent, formulation, dose, and dose interval lies with the clinician. The author also addresses regulations that govern the use of drugs in competition horses.
Sulfidoleukotriene generation from peripheral blood leukocytes of horses affected with insect bite dermal hypersensitivity. Sulfidoleukotrienes (sLT) generated in vitro after incubation of equine peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) with different inducing agents were determined in 18 healthy and 16 insect bite dermal hypersensitivity (IDH)-affected horses. PBL from these 32 horses were stimulated with Concanavalin A, Parascaris equorum, Culicoides nubeculosus and Simulium extracts, and with a six-Grass mix. The cells of all but four horses generated sLT after incubation with Concanavalin A; these four horses did also not produce sLT with the other inducing agents. Of the 28 remaining horses (12 affected with IDH and ...
Epizootic lymphangitis in horses: a review of the literature. Epizootic lymphangitis is a relatively common infectious disease of horses and other liquids in certain parts of the world. The infection rate varies according to the geographic area and the age of the animal. The disease is most commonly characterised by a cord-like appearance of the subcutaneous lymphatic and cutaneous pyogranulomas, the discharge from which contains spherical or pear-shaped bodies of the causal agent, Histoplasma farciminosum. Diagnosis can be made by the demonstration of typical organisms in stained smears, culture and tissue sections. Serological tests and a skin hypersen...
The S2 gene of equine infectious anemia virus is a highly conserved determinant of viral replication and virulence properties in experimentally infected ponies. Equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) is genetically one of the simplest lentiviruses in that the viral genome encodes only three accessory genes, tat, rev, and S2. Although serological analyses demonstrate the expression of the S2 protein in persistently infected horses, the role of this viral gene remains undefined. We recently reported that the S2 gene is not essential for EIAV replication in primary equine macrophages, as EIAV mutants lacking the S2 gene replicate to levels similar to those of the parental virus (F. Li, B. A. Puffer, and R. C. Montelaro, J. Virol. 72:8344-8348, 1998). We n...
Equine respiratory pharmacology. Differentiation of diseases of the equine respiratory tract is based on history, clinical signs, auscultation, endoscopy, imaging, and sampling of airway exudate. Upper respiratory therapies include surgical correction of airway obstructions; flushing of localized abscesses (strangles), guttural pouch disease, or sinusitis; and oral or parenteral antibiotic and anti-inflammatory therapy if deemed necessary. Pneumonia usually is treated with antimicrobials, anti-inflammatories, and bronchodilators. Pleural drainage is indicated if significant pleural effusion is present. The most commonly used ...
