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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.
Diagnosis of EDTA-dependent pseudothrombocytopenia in a horse. Thrombocytopenia in horses may be idiopathic or secondary to chronic infectious or inflammatory diseases (eg, equine infectious anemia, lymphosarcoma), drug administration, bone marrow depression, myelophthisic disease, or disseminated intravascular coagulation. This report describes EDTA-dependent pseudothrombocytopenia in a horse. Platelet counts for blood containing EDTA were consistently less than reference range, but platelet counts of blood containing heparin were within reference range. When thrombocytopenia is diagnosed in horses without clinical evidence of a bleeding tendency, EDTA-d...
Immunocytochemical and dye distribution studies of nerves potentially desensitized by injections into the distal interphalangeal joint or the navicular bursa of horses. To determine whether the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint directly or indirectly communicates with the navicular bursa (bursa podotrochlearis) and to identify sensory nerves in these synovial structures that might be desensitized by intra-articular injections of anesthetics, Evans blue dye in physiologic saline solution, Luxol fast blue dye with mepivicaine, or commercial latex was injected into the DIP joint (5 ml) or the navicular bursa (3 ml) of 152 digits obtained from horses or ponies at necropsy. The digits were frozen, cut with a band saw, and examined for distribution of dye or latex...
Granulomatous enteritis and cutaneous arteritis in a horse. A 5-year-old Quarter Horse mare was examined because of weight loss of 2 months' duration. The horse was anemic and in poor body condition, and had several areas of cutaneous ulceration, including areas on the muzzle and distal portion of the limbs. Histologic examination of a rectal mucosa biopsy specimen revealed a lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate in the lamina propria mucosa. Results of a glucose absorption test were suggestive of malabsorption. Histologic examination of a biopsy specimen from the cutaneous lesions revealed pronounced arteritis, and weak, patchy immunofluorescent staining for i...
Ischemia/reperfusion injury of the ascending colon in ponies: a correlative study utilizing microvascular histopathology and corrosion casting. Volvulus of the ascending colon (ACV) in the horse results in microvascular injury and necrosis of the intestinal mucosa. This study investigated the site and type of microvascular injury which occurs within the mucosa and submucosa following ACV. Histopathology of volvulus treated ponies demonstrated mucosal necrosis with microvascular hemorrhage and thrombosis. Thrombi occurred within the subepithelial capillaries and edema and hemorrhage developed throughout the mucosa and submucosa. Vascular casts allowed 3-D viewing of samples obtained from the entire pelvic flexure and demonstrated two d...
Myocarditis following envenoming with Vipera palaestinae in two horses. Cardiac disease developed several days to weeks after resolution of local inflammation caused by envenoming by Vipera palaestinae in two horses. In one horse (case A), referred to the hospital for recurrent abdominal pain 8 days after envenoming, a tachyarrhythmia was detected; ventricular premature depolarizations were diagnosed by ECG. A second horse (case B) was found dead without premonitory signs 60 days after envenoming. In both horses, there was extensive necrosis of cardiac ventricular tissues.
A survey of neurological diseases in horses. Case records of 450 horses with signs of neurological disease are reviewed. One hundred and nineteen horses with neurological disease due to trauma were examined, of which 60 were due to spinal cord trauma, 47 to brain or cranial nerve trauma and 12 to peripheral nerve trauma. Cervical vertebral fractures/trauma were the most common injury. Basisphenoid/basioccipital bone fractures were the most common form of cranial trauma and facial nerve paralysis the most common cranial nerve injury. Eighty-nine horses with neurological disease due to malformation were examined. Cervical vertebral malform...
Lack of residual lung damage in horses in which Rhodococcus equi-induced pneumonia had been diagnosed. The effect of prior Rhodococcus equi-induced pneumonia on pulmonary health was investigated in 5 horses (< 24 months old) using endoscopy, radiography, hematologic and bronchoalveolar lavage analyses, and pulmonary function testing. Rhodococcus equi-induced pneumonia had been diagnosed in principal horses when they were foals. Diagnosis was based on positive results of transtracheal aspiration and thoracic radiography at the time of initial clinical examination. Results of reevaluation of the respiratory system of these horses (R+) were compared with those of 5 age-matched healthy horses (R...
[Narcolepsy in horses]. Narcolepsy is an incurable non-progressive disease of the central nervous system. In humans, narcolepsy causes excessive drowsiness during the day (sometimes a sleep-attack occurs), cataplexy (sudden loss of muscle tone), hallucinations, and sleep paralysis. In the horse and other mammals cataplexy is the most frequently observed symptom. Excessive drowsiness can occur but is harder to observe. Cataplexy is caused by a fragmentation of the REM sleep. The etiology of narcolepsy is still subject to debate, partly because normal sleeping patterns are poorly understood. In humans and certain breed...
[HYPP–hyperkalemic periodic paralysis in horses]. A literature review of the clinical syndrome HYPP (Hyperkalemic periodic paralysis) affecting Quarter Horses is given. HYPP is characterized by sporadic attacks of muscle tremors, weakness and/or collapse, lasting for variable periods of time. Diagnosis is based on physical findings in association with hyperkalemia. In horses with HYPP, the regulation of ion transport through the sodium channels in the muscle cells occasionally fails, causing uncontrollable muscle twitching. Further investigations into molecular genetics reveals a mutation in the gene responsible for sodium and potassium regul...
Duration of antigen-induced hyperresponsiveness in horses with allergic respiratory disease and possible links with early airway obstruction. Antigen-induced airway hyperresponsiveness in allergic horses has previously been demonstrated when clinical signs of acute airway obstruction were apparent, as a consequence of exposure of animals to hay and straw for variable periods of time, and repeat measurements of hyperresponsiveness have been made no earlier than 1 week after challenge. In the present study airway responsiveness to methacholine has been measured in normal horses and allergic horses in clinical remission before and 24, 48 and 72 h after a hay and straw challenge of fixed, short, duration (7 h). Correlations between earl...
[The development of the IgG concentration in the blood serum of newborn foals]. The aim of this study was to determine the course of the IgG concentration in blood serum of neonatal foals. A comparison of blood serum IgG concentration of the mares showed IgG values of 3356 +/- 671 mg/dl up to a maximum of 3579 +/- 766 mg/dl (means +/- s). In accordance with Eisenhauer (1981) and in contrast to Jeffcott (1974) no significant change of the IgG level in the blood serum of the mares could be observed during the test period. However, the IgG concentration in the colostrum of meanG = 11776 mg/dl during birth decreased considerably 96 hours later with meanG = 135 mg/dl. At birth...
Identification of the activation domain of equine infectious anemia virus rev. Several members of the lentivirus family of complex retroviruses have been shown to encode proteins that are functionally equivalent to the Rev posttranscriptional regulatory protein of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Furthermore, the domain organization of HIV-1 Rev, featuring a highly basic N-terminal RNA binding domain and a leucin-rich C-terminal effector domain, has also been shown to be highly conserved among Rev proteins derived from not only the primate but also the ovine and caprine lentiviruses. Although it has therefore appeared highly probable that the lentivirus equin...
Effects of sympathomimetic and sympatholytic drugs on exercise performance. This article has presented information on the importance of the sympathetic nervous system in the response to exercise. The authors have reviewed the very limited information on the effects of sympathomimetic and sympatholytic drugs on exercise performance in the horse. Most of these drugs are specifically prohibited under the rules of racing, and they have significant side effects that either decrease performance or make their use dangerous to both the horse and horse-man. Additionally, all of these drugs or their metabolites are readily detected by current drug testing protocols. Further inf...
A rapid diagnostic assay for eastern equine encephalomyelitis viral RNA. Eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus (EEEV) has been a low-frequency, but serious human and veterinary health problem. Increased frequency of this mosquito-borne virus is anticipated as wetlands are maintained and re-established. Control of EEEV has depended on mosquito abatement in response to increasing frequency of EEEV in the environment. A coupled reverse transcription/polymerase chain reaction assay was designed to rapidly, sensitively, and specifically detect EEEV RNA. The assay successfully detected the viral RNA in a single-blind study of a set of field samples composed of either po...
Effects of the 21-aminosteroid U-74389G on ischemia and reperfusion injury of the ascending colon in horses. Sixteen horses were allotted at random to 3 groups: vehicle only; low dosage (vehicle and 3 mg of U-74389G/kg of body weight); high dosage (vehicle and 10 mg of U-74389G/kg). These solutions were given prior to reperfusion. The ascending colon was subjected to 2 hours of ischemia followed by 2 hours of reperfusion. Before, during, and after ischemia, full-thickness colonic tissue biopsy specimens were obtained for measurement of malondealdehyde (MDA) concentration and myeloperoxidase activity and for morphologic evaluation. Although increases were not significant, MDA concentration and myelope...
[Concentration of species alien (bovine) IgG in the blood serum of foals after the intake of non-species specific colostrum preparation]. Sixteen vital foals with free access to maternal colostrum received a additional non-species-specific commercial colostrum additive within the first 18 hours of their life. The additive had been prepared from bovine colostrum. At birth no bovine IgG was detectable. The concentration of bovine IgG reached its maximum 18 hours post natum with XG = 74.6 mg/dl. 96 hours after birth IgG levels had dropped to XG = 20.9 mg/dl. The correlation of bovine IgG with GGT-activity was highly significant. Formation of antibodies against bovine IgG could not be demonstrated. It is not possible to increase igG...
The outbreak of equine influenza (H3N8) in the United Kingdom in 1989: diagnostic use of an antigen capture ELISA. In July 1989 influenza A/equine-2 (H3N8) was isolated from a nasopharyngeal swab taken from a non-thoroughbred horse exhibiting acute clinical respiratory disease. This was the first isolation of equine influenza virus in the United Kingdom since 1981. Subsequent investigations of acute respiratory disease in horses indicated that the infection was dispersed throughout the UK. However, unlike the previous epidemic of 1979, the first horses from which the virus was isolated had been vaccinated. This outbreak of influenza provided an opportunity to evaluate an antigen capture ELISA, directed aga...
An improved method for the scintigraphic detection of acute bone damage to the equine pelvis by probe point counting. A fracture of the pelvis in a horse can be detected scintigraphically by probe point counting. However, the pelvis is covered by a large and variable muscle mass, and is close to the urinary bladder, both of which can introduce errors. This paper describes an improved technique which uses a larger set of sampling points and analyses the data with a small computer to construct a three dimensional graph of the gamma-ray output across the pelvis, thus helping to improve the interpretation of the data. The scintigraphic plot from a normal horse, three cases of fracture (confirmed by radiography, u...
Familial occurrence of narcolepsy in miniature horses. In an investigation of 2 closely related Miniature Horses with a history of excessive sleepiness, depression and episodes of collapse, a diagnosis of narcolepsy was made on the basis of neurological examination and pharmacological testing. Further investigations included electroencephalographic examination (EEG), and analysis of protein content, cell count and monoamine metabolite concentrations of lumbosacral cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). There were no abnormalities noted in the EEGs, and no consistent changes in CSF neurotransmitter metabolites in the narcoleptic horses when compared with 3 nor...
Endoscopic examination and treatment of paranasal sinus disease in 16 horses. Sixteen horses with suspected paranasal sinus disease had endoscopic examination of the paranasal sinuses with a 4.0 mm arthroscope either while standing and sedated (14 horses) or under general anesthesia (two horses). Endoscopic diagnosis included sinusitis (four horses), sinus cyst (three horses), hemorrhage (three horses), neoplasia (three horses), and tooth root abnormalities (two horses). No abnormalities were detected in one horse. Endoscopic findings concurred with the radiographic findings in 13 horses (81%). Samples of sinus contents for bacteriologic (eight horses) and histologic ex...
Pancytopenia secondary to lymphoid leukemia in three horses. Pancytopenia was observed in two 3-year-old geldings and one 11-year-old mare. All horses had a brief history (2 days to 4 weeks) of fever, anorexia, and depression. One of the three horses had blast cells present on a peripheral blood smear. Examination of the bone marrow showed substantial infiltration with neoplastic lymphoid cells. At necropsy, neoplastic cells were restricted to the bone marrow in one horse, present in bone marrow, liver, and spleen in the second horse, and reported in multiple tissues in the third horse, including bone marrow, kidneys, lung, myocardium and lymph nodes. T...
