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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.
Type II renal tubular acidosis in a mare. Persistent, severe metabolic acidosis complicated the operative and postoperative period in a 4-year-old mare with colic. On the basis of clinical and laboratory findings, a renal tubular disorder was diagnosed. Renal tubular acidosis is rare in horses. In the only report found on the subject, type I renal tubular acidosis was described in 2 horses. Bicarbonate titration studies in our case helped document type II renal tubular acidosis in this mare.
Generalized avian tuberculosis in a horse. THE horse appears to possess a strong innate resistance to
tuberculosis because the disease is infrequently recognised even
in countries where the condition is common in other species
(Luke 1958). Reports of the disease are now scarce and earlier
records of infections in horses usually implicated the bovine
strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, although avian and
human strains have been isolated. Of 55 equine cases reviewed
by Griffith (1937), 53 were caused by the bovine strain and two
were independently infected with avian and human strains.
Since the implementation of the bovine tu...
Effects of warfarin on blood rheology in navicular disease. A preliminary investigation has been undertaken of blood rheology in horses and ponies, its variation in navicular disease and the changes following treatment with warfarin. Erythrocyte flexibility, measured by a centrifuge packing technique, is higher in horses (30 per cent min-1) than in ponies (23.8 per cent min-1). There are corresponding differences in blood viscosity. The high erythrocyte flexibility in horses is caused by an unknown factor present in plasma. The erythrocyte flexibility in horses with navicular disease is even higher, at 38.5 per cent min-1. Treatment with warfarin reduc...
Equine pythiosis in Costa Rica: report of 39 cases. Thirty-nine pythiosis equine cases, were studied at the Veterinary Medicine School of the National University of Costa Rica, between 1981 and 1984. Lesions were located in different parts of their anatomy: anterior and posterior extremities, abdomen, thorax, breast and mammary gland, and were characterized by their tumoral appearance with necrotic tissue in which yellow-white coral-like necrotic masses, called kunker or leeches were shown. Splendore-Hoeppli like phenomenon and eosinophilic inflammatory reaction around the hyphae, was microscopically observed. Pythium sp. (Hyphomyces destruens)...
Isolation of Streptococcus pneumoniae from the respiratory tract of horses. Streptococcus pneumoniae was isolated from nasopharyngeal swabs and tracheal washings taken from Thoroughbred horses in training at three of four separate stables that were sampled during investigations into respiratory disease. The growth of Strep pneumoniae in culture was enhanced by an environment enriched with carbon dioxide. In one stable, five of 15 horses that were sampled repeatedly were found to carry the organism for at least four months. There was an apparent association between lower respiratory tract inflammatory disease and heavy growths (10(6) to 10(8) colony forming units/ml) p...
Treatment of equine onchocerciasis with ivermectin paste. A single oral dose of ivermectin paste was administered to 12 horses with dermatitis and clinical signs typical of onchocerciasis. Two of the horses also had lesions of Queensland itch. Microfilarias of Onchocerca cervicalis were identified in fresh, macerated, skin biopsies from the neck, brisket or umbilical regions of all horses and microfilarias of O. gutturosa from the neck of 2. Eight of the horses developed skin reactions 4 to 24 h after the administration of the ivermectin, notably weals over the neck, shoulders and flanks and pitting oedema of the ventral midline and intermandibular s...
Familial congenital occipitoatlantoaxial malformation (OAAM) in the Arabian horse. Familial occipitalization of the atlas with atlantalization of the axis was defined as a single congenital disease in Arabian horses following a clinical, radiologic, and morphologic study of 16 horses with congenital malformations of the occiput, atlas, and axis, and from a study of three reported cases. The constant morphologic features were interpreted as congenital atlantooccipital fusion, hypoplasia of the atlas and dens, malformation of the axis, and modification of the atlantoaxial joint. Atlantoaxial subluxation was also a frequent finding. The clinical syndromes shown by these horses ...
Immunoglobulin and specific antibody responses to Rhodococcus (Corynebacterium) equi infection in foals as measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Humoral immune response to intestinal Rhodococcus (Corynebacterium) equi in horses was studied by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Anti-R. equi immunoglobulin M (IgM), IgG, and IgA antibodies were demonstrated in the healthy horse population. Adult horse levels of anti-R. equi IgM and IgG antibodies were reached by 5 to 9 weeks of age in two healthy newborn foals. R. equi was recovered from the foals in the range of 10(3) to 10(4) per g of intestinal contents. A 1-week-old foal was infected with R. equi by mouth daily for 9 weeks. The foal did not show any clinical signs of illness. Anti-R. ...
Immunodiffusion test for diagnosing and monitoring pythiosis in horses. A practical, sensitive, and specific immunodiffusion test was developed for diagnosing and monitoring pythiosis in horses. Culture filtrates, a soluble cell mass, and trypsinized Pythium sp. antigens were evaluated against prepared rabbit anti-Pythium sp. serum and pythiosis horse case sera. The culture filtrate antigens demonstrated the greatest capacity for detecting precipitins and the greatest stability during storage. In contrast, the trypsinized antigens had the weakest capability for detecting multiple precipitins and the poorest stability. The 13 sera from horses with proven active pyt...
Comparison of the measurement of plasma testosterone and plasma oestrogens for the diagnosis of cryptorchidism in the horse. The results of performing 1720 blood tests for equine cryptorchidism are described. Using the paired sample human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) stimulation test and measuring testosterone, 6.7 per cent of tests did not give a clear result. If only the testosterone concentration in the pre-hCG blood sample was used, this percentage rose to 14 per cent. The paired sample hCG stimulation test was 94.6 per cent accurate. A comparison was made between the paired hCG stimulation test and the measurement of conjugated oestrogen in a single sample. The latter did not give as many doubtfuls but gave fa...
Radiographic assessment of navicular bones, based on changes in the distal nutrient foramina. Radiographic examination of the navicular bones of 258 horses was carried out. Of these 258 horses, 83 were sound (Group A), 151 had been diagnosed clinically as having navicular disease (Group B), and 24 had a forefoot lameness of unknown aetiology (Group C). Seven basic shapes of distal nutrient foramina were identified from these radiographs. A scoring system was then developed based on these different types of distal nutrient foramina. When this scoring system was applied to the radiographs of the 258 horses examined significant differences were found between the mean navicular scores of t...
Diurnal variation of dynamic compliance, resistance and viscous work of breathing in normal horses and horses with lung disorders. Dynamic compliance, airway resistance, viscous work and respiratory frequency were measured at intervals in horses over 12 h periods. Variation, daily averages and circadian patterns were recorded. Examinations were performed on 24 horses. They were divided into three groups: Normal horses, horses with chronic latent bronchitis and horses with manifest chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Significant differences were found between the daily averages and the fluctuations when the normal group and the COPD group were compared. In most cases differences between all three groups were sign...
Crystalline composition of equine urinary calculi. X-ray diffraction crystallography was used to determine the crystalline composition of 18 equine urinary calculi, including stones originating in the kidney, bladder and urethra. Calcium carbonate in the form of calcite was found to be the major component in all calculi examined. Other components commonly found included weddellite and substituted vaterite. Urine deposits from a number of normal horses were also examined. The significance of these findings, as well as those from a number of previous reports, are discussed in relation to the possible aetiology of urolithiasis in the horse.
Generation of packaging-defective DNA molecules of equine adenovirus. Equine adenovirus (EAd) DNA prepared from infected bovine kidney (MDBK) cells contained additional sequences of about 100 to 700 bp at the left-hand end of the genome. These aberrant viral genomes were produced even after the first passage of the wild type EAd in MDBK cells and their relative amounts did not change significantly during serial passage. The left terminal fragments of two defective viral DNAs were cloned into the plasmid vector pBR322 and the nucleotide sequences of their terminal regions were analyzed. The data indicate that one viral DNA contained a duplication of the inverted ...
Haemangioma of the guttural pouch of a 16-year-old thoroughbred mare: clinical and pathological findings. A 16-year old thoroughbred mare was presented with dysphagia and food being ejected from the mouth and nostrils. Clinical signs were exhibited for three weeks before it was euthanased on humanitarian grounds. Post mortem examination revealed a soft haemangioma measuring 7 cm X 5 cm suspended from the roof of the medial compartment of the left guttural pouch.
Bacteria in enteric lesions of horses. Thirty-three species of bacteria were isolated from the gastrointestinal mucosa of 23 adult horses and two foals. The bacteria isolated could be related to gross and microscopical lesions in some cases. Clostridium perfringens type A, Actinobacillus equuli, Salmonella typhimurium and Campylobacter coli biotype 1 could all be associated with gastrointestinal lesions. C jejuni biotype 1 and Aeromonas hydrophila were both recovered in this study and have been identified as causes of enteritis in horses or in other species. The case of C coli enteritis appears to be the first such report. The diff...
Gastroenterostomy for treatment of gastroduodenal ulcer disease in 14 foals. Gastroenterostomy was performed in 14 foals to treat gastric outflow obstruction caused by advanced gastroduodenal ulcer disease. The onset of excessive salivation and teeth grinding, without response to medical treatment, combined with endoscopic and radiographic evidence of gastric outflow obstruction, were indications for surgical intervention. Successful outcome in 5 foals was attributed to early diagnosis, patient stabilization, early surgical correction, and postoperative management including antibiotics and antiulcer medication.
Problems associated with the interpretation of the results of regional and intra-articular anaesthesia in the horse. The difficulties associated with the interpretation of the results of regional and intra-articular anaesthesia are discussed with reference to eight lame horses. The clinical and radiographic features of each horse are described, together with the results of anaesthesia. One horse had clinical and radiographic signs consistent with navicular disease but it was not possible to relieve the lameness. Two horses had fractures of bones within the foot but lameness was not improved by palmar (abaxial sesamoid) nerve blocks. One horse had more than one cause of lameness. Four horses had joint patholo...
Bilateral hypoplasia of the soft palate and aryepiglottic entrapment in a horse. Endoscopic examination of a 7-year-old gelding with weight loss indicated a palatal defect with a prominent tissue mass at the caudomedial margin of the defect. At necropsy, the condition was determined to be bilateral hypoplasia of the soft palate.
Nitroblue tetrazolium reduction by neutrophils of newborn foals, adult horses, and a foal infected with Rhodococcus (Corynebacterium) equi. Equine neutrophil function was studied in 24 newborn foals, 10 adult horses, and a foal infected with R. equi by the quantitative nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction test. There was no difference between results in newborn foals and adult horses. A foal naturally infected with R. equi showed normal values of NBT reduction test at birth, and after the initial clinical signs, the spontaneous reduction of NBT by neutrophils was found to be remarkably increased until a week before death
Diseases of the liver. The ability to image the liver in horses can add valuable diagnostic information or aid in guided biopsy procedures. Anytime the size, shape, position, and texture of the liver can be determined, additional information about the horse's condition is gained. Conditions such as cholelithiasis, neoplasia, fibrosis can be detected ultrasonographically.
Uses of ultrasound in equine internal medicine. Ultrasound examination allows the diagnostician to examine peripheral soft tissues and many internal organs in a noninvasive manner. In most instances, ultrasound can be utilized to complement other diagnostic aids, but its increased use has revealed the unique advantages of this technique over more established diagnostic tools. The ease with which ultrasound interpretation can be learned and the increased availability of instruments make this approach to diagnosis a valuable asset in the diagnosis of many equine medical diseases.
Heart rate and ECG response to twitching in Thoroughbred foals and mares. Changes of the heart rate and ECG to twitching were examined using 5 Thoroughbred foals at various ages and their mares. The effect of the heart rate decrease to twitching was significantly greater in the foals than in the mares. The decreased heart rate in the foals continued during and after the twitching. Changes of the T wave in the A-B lead ECG shown as enhancement of the negative ingredient of the T wave were observed both in the foals and in the mares, accompanied by a decrease in the heart rate during and/or after the twitching. Two out of the five foals showed second-degree A-V block ...
Definition of diabetes mellitus. The nomenclature of human diabetes mellitus (DM) has been revised, and this classification has been accepted throughout the medical world and literature. The major categories of diabetes are: insulin-dependent DM, type I or IDDM; noninsulin-dependent DM, type II or NIDDM; secondary DM or type S; impaired glucose tolerance, IGT; gestational diabetes; and previous abnormality of glucose tolerance, PrevAGT. A review of the literature has shown that over half of the documented diabetic dogs, with a single medical diagnosis, appear to be type I, IDDM, with a substantial proportion being type S, and...
Quantitative aspects of fecal Rhodococcus (Corynebacterium) equi in foals. Quantitative aspects of fecal Rhodococcus (Corynebacterium) equi in newborn foals for 12 weeks after birth were investigated on two horse breeding farms. R. equi was found in the feces of foals during week 1 of life. The greatest numbers of R. equi were present in the feces of foals during the first 8 weeks of their lives, which coincides with the age when foals are most liable to be exposed to R. equi.
Diseases of the kidneys. Ultrasound examination offers important diagnostic and prognostic information in renal disease of the horse. Differentiation between acute nephrosis and chronic renal disease can usually be made because of the advanced degree of morphologic change usually prevalent in chronic conditions. Dilatations of the recesses and pelvis (hydronephrosis) as well as the relative thickness of the renal cortex and medulla are readily determined. Mineral densities (calculi) are recognizable by their characteristic acoustic shadowing.
Ultrasound science for the veterinarian. In order to successfully sort out the information, both real and bogus, in an ultrasonic image, one must have a fundamental understanding of the physical and electronic events that produced the image. We have looked at the basic science, signal processing, some case examples of ultrasound science in practice, and some popular illusions. It is a good starting place for the newcomer to ultrasonic imaging.
