Topic:Diagnostic Technique
Diagnostic techniques in equine medicine encompass a range of procedures and tools used to identify diseases, injuries, or other health conditions in horses. These techniques include imaging methods such as radiography, ultrasonography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as well as laboratory tests like blood work and tissue biopsies. Each diagnostic method provides specific information that can aid in the assessment and management of equine health issues. Radiography is commonly used for evaluating bone structures, while ultrasonography is useful for soft tissue examination. MRI offers detailed images of both soft and hard tissues, though its use is limited by cost and availability. Laboratory tests can detect biochemical and hematological changes indicative of disease. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the development, application, and efficacy of various diagnostic techniques in equine veterinary practice.
Evaluation of a non-radioactive rapid test for the determination of serum progesterone in the mare. The determination of progesterone from mares' serum plays a decisive role in diagnosing estrus cycle disorders or luteal insufficiency. To date, no measurement methods are available for rapid quantitative diagnosis of serum progesterone in the mare that would allow results to be available within a two-hour time frame. The present study will evaluate a commercial enzyme-linked fluorescent assay, the mini VIDAS device (bioMérieux, Nürtingen, Germany). Serum was prepared from the blood samples of one hundred and seven mares, divided into two aliquots, and stored at -20°C. Subsequently, compara...
Improved embryo recovery through increased flushing media volume and the impact on unintended pregnancies in a single subject donor mare. The case report discusses the implications of using different volumes of flushing media during embryo flushing (EF) procedures in a single donor mare that experienced multiple unintended pregnancies following negative EF outcomes. The study involved two sets of EF experiments over two years on a non-lactating Spanish purebred mare. The initial experiments (group 1, n=6) used 1L of flushing medium (Ringer´s Lactate), and subsequent tests (group 2, n=5) increased the volume to 2L, to assess whether a larger volume could enhance embryo recovery rates. After every EF procedure, no PGF2α was admi...
Skeletal Muscle Biopsy. Muscle biopsy is often required to provide a definitive diagnosis for neuromuscular disorders and can be performed using open surgical or percutaneous needle biopsy techniques. Fresh samples that are subsequently frozen in the laboratory are preferred by laboratories engaged in research, whereas formalin-fixed muscle is processed by diagnostic laboratories with specialized tinctorial and immunohistochemical techniques. Interpretation by an experienced histopathologist, combined with the signalment, history, and clinical input, is essential for establishing a diagnosis. This article outlines be...
Unraveling the uterine fluid proteome of mares diagnosed with post-breeding and infectious endometritis. Endometritis is the leading cause of subfertility in mares and a significant challenge to equine reproduction. Unraveling uterine fluid proteome may promote advancements in the knowledge of endometritis etiopathogeneses and its diagnosis and therapeutic practices. Therefore, we aimed to characterize and compare the protein profile of the uterine fluid from healthy mares and animals diagnosed with endometritis. Mangalarga Marchador breed mares from Muriaé - Brazil were divided into control, infectious endometritis, and post-breeding endometritis groups (n = 8/ group). Uterine fluid was collect...
A new smartphone-based digital stethoscope featuring phonocardiography and electrocardiography in adult horses. Smartphone-based technology is increasingly used in veterinary medicine as a complementary tool for cardiac auscultation and ECG recording. This prospective observational study evaluates a digital stethoscope (DS) that consists of simultaneous phonocardiographic and one-lead ECG recording (dECG) in adult horses, comparing it with auscultation using a conventional stethoscope (CS) and reference base-apex ECG (rECG). A total of 104 horses underwent cardiac auscultation using CSs and DSs to detect arrhythmias and murmurs. Audio and dECG were acquired using the DS. The rECG tracings were also reco...
Reference intervals for equine fecal calprotectin and calprotectin:protein ratio and preliminary clinical evaluation in horses with colic and colitis. To establish the reference interval (RI) of fecal calprotectin (fCP) and fCP:protein ratio in the feces of healthy horses and demonstrate preliminary clinical utility for the quantification of intestinal inflammation. Methods: Feces were collected from healthy horses (n = 103) and horses with colic (n = 15) or colitis (n = 13). Feces were suspended in buffer to create fecal supernatant. Fecal calprotectin concentration was determined by ELISA, fecal total protein concentration was determined by bicinchoninic acid assay, and the fCP:protein ratio was calculated. Reference intervals for fCP and ...
Phenotypic, Biochemical and Molecular Characterization of Streptococcus equi Isolates in Northern India. poses a significant threat to equine health globally. The bacteria causes strangles, a respiratory disease characterized by enlarged, abscessed lymph nodes, leading to airway obstruction. The bacterium, a Gram-positive, chain-forming, Lancefield group C β-hemolytic , is closely related to and distinction between these species is challenging. The present study focused on characterization of isolates from horses in northern India, aiming at elucidation of their sugar fermentation patterns. Nasal and nasopharyngeal swabs collected from different geographical regions of northern India, yieldin...
Smartphone-based ECG assessment of heart rhythm at birth in healthy foals born after spontaneous or induced parturition: is there a potential difference? Background- Subclinical electrophysiological derangements occur at birth in foals. Smartphone-based ECG (spECG) is practical tools to assess heart rhythm and was recently validated in foals. Objectives-To assess the heart rate (HR) and rhythm at birth in clinically healthy foals born after spontaneous and induced parturition using a spECG. Animals- Newborn healthy foals born after at term spontaneous (SF) or induced foaling (IF). Methods- Cohort study. In SF and IF groups, a spECG was performed immediately at birth (T0) and after 5Â min (T5). SpECG tracings were selected for quality. HR was ma...
Fenestration of the maxillary septal bulla using different surgical approaches and endoscopy systems in horses: An ex vivo study. Sinusitis is common in horses. Sinoscopy is used for visualization of sinus cavities and can be used for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. In this surgical procedure, a larger chamber is created and communication with other sinus compartments facilitated. To compare the applicability of different surgical approaches and rigid endoscopy systems for sinus inspection and fenestration of the maxillary septal bulla, and to examine the impact of different lens angles on the effectiveness of the procedure. Six chemically preserved cadaveric equine heads were used. Frontal and caudal maxillary port...
The Role of Viral Pathogens in Horse Respiratory Diseases: A Cytological and Molecular Approach Using Next-Generation Sequencing. (1) Background: Respiratory problems may be associated with pathogens among which viruses may play an important role in causing or promoting clinical signs. However, traditional diagnostic methods for equine infectious diseases, such as PCR, are limited to known pathogens and often miss rare or novel viruses. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing is a transformative method that allows the sequencing of all genomes present in a sample. Recent studies have used next-generation sequences to identify viral sequences in horses with unexplained respiratory symptoms, revealing potential links betwee...
The Role of Viral Pathogens in Horse Respiratory Diseases: A Cytological and Molecular Approach Using Next-Generation Sequencing. (1) Background: Respiratory problems may be associated with pathogens among which viruses may play an important role in causing or promoting clinical signs. However, traditional diagnostic methods for equine infectious diseases, such as PCR, are limited to known pathogens and often miss rare or novel viruses. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing is a transformative method that allows the sequencing of all genomes present in a sample. Recent studies have used next-generation sequences to identify viral sequences in horses with unexplained respiratory symptoms, revealing potential links betwee...
Effects of a Gastroscopic Procedure on Salivary Cortisol Release and Fecal Cortisol Metabolites in Young Racehorses. In this study, gastroscopy was performed twice in 31 two-year-old Thoroughbred racehorses in training. Salivary cortisol (SC) and fecal cortisol metabolite (FCM) concentrations were determined to measure the stress impact. One gastroscopy was performed at the beginning and one six months later at the end of the horses' first training season. According to the Wilcoxon signed rank test, a mild but significant increase of SC (1st gastroscopy: = 0.0045, 2nd gastroscopy: < 0.0001) and FCM (1st gastroscopy: < 0.0001, 2nd gastroscopy: = 0.0006) values after gastroscopy compared to basal val...
A survey of ocular pathology in Warmblood horses in South Africa. Warmblood horses are a popular breed around the world for equestrian sports. Previous studies have investigated ocular findings in other breeds of horses; however, no studies exist for the Warmblood breed. Objective: To determine the prevalence of ocular abnormalities in a convenience sample of Warmblood horses in South Africa and to determine if the prevalence of lens and chorioretinal lesions increase with age. Methods: Descriptive, observational study. Methods: Warmblood horses underwent a full ophthalmic examination which included a Schirmer tear test (STT), tonometry, fluorescein dye test...
Effect of Simple Oral Dental Extraction on Systemic Serum Amyloid A Concentrations in Horses. The translocation of gingival commensals resulting in measurable systemic inflammation has been described in humans and non-equine veterinary species with dental disorders, particularly periodontal disease. Routine odontoplasty does not result in increased serum amyloid A (SAA) concentration in horses, but a measurable increase in SAA concentration in horses undergoing dental extractions could suggest that local inflammation resulting from more severe dental disease has potential for wider, systemic consequences that warrants further study. To determine whether SAA increases in horses undergoi...
Quantifying head and withers movement asymmetry in sound and naturally forelimb lame horses trotting on a circle on hard and soft surfaces. Reliable lameness thresholds for vertical head displacement for trotting on a circular path and on different surfaces have yet to be defined. Withers movement in lame horses could help improve the diagnostic accuracy of sensor technology. Objective: To define head movement lameness threshold ranges and describe the relationship between head and withers movement during trotting under different circumstances in sound and forelimb lame horses. Methods: Retrospective analysis of clinical data and comparison with control group. Methods: Fifty-five sound and thirty-four naturally lame horses were tr...
Validation of Vetscan Imagyst®, a diagnostic test utilizing an artificial intelligence deep learning algorithm, for detecting strongyles and Parascaris spp. in equine fecal samples. Current methods for obtaining fecal egg counts in horses are often inaccurate and variable depending on the analyst's skill and experience. Automated digital scanning of fecal sample slides integrated with analysis by an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm is a viable, emerging alternative that can mitigate operator variation compared to conventional methods in companion animal fecal parasite diagnostics. Vetscan Imagyst is a novel fecal parasite detection system that uploads the scanned image to the cloud where proprietary software analyzes captured images for diagnostic recognition by a d...
Detection of fungal and bacterial organisms from clinical uterine samples of horses using Next-Generation Sequencing in comparison with culture. Fungal and bacterial culture is currently the primary method for pathogen detection and identification. Next-generation sequencing is a powerful method for detecting and identifying the presence of microbial DNA in samples. We evaluated the correlation between fungal and bacterial culture with next-generation sequencing in equine uterine samples. Fungal cultures (n=63) were evaluated based on their culture results. In culture positive (n=16) samples, next-generation sequencing identified the same organism in 10 samples (62.5%), 5 samples did not identify fungal agents, and 1 sample identified ...
The microRNAome of Strongylus vulgaris larvae and their excretory/secretory products with identification of parasite-derived microRNAs in horse arterial tissue. The equine bloodworm, Strongylus vulgaris, is a highly pathogenic parasite causing potentially fatal vascular and intestinal damage. Parasites express and release microRNAs (miRNAs) for internal regulation and to modulate host immunity. The complete set of miRNAs expressed by S. vulgaris (the S. vulgaris miRNAome) remains unannotated and the aim of this study was to annotate the miRNAome of L4 and L5 stages of S. vulgaris, and to examine differences in miRNA abundance between larval stages and sexes. Furthermore, we aimed to determine if miRNAs were detectable in excretory/secretory products (...
Changes in Immunoglobulins G and A in the Saliva and Serum of Horses with Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) and Their Relationship with Other Immune and Redox Status Biomarkers. Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) is a widespread disease with a very high prevalence and importance in horses. It includes two conditions: Equine squamous gastric disease (ESGD), linked to acid disturbances, and Equine Glandular Gastric Disease (EGGD), associated with inflammation and immune system issues. In saliva, increased levels of immunological markers have been observed in this disease, indicating immune system involvement. In addition, changes in biomarkers of oxidative stress have been described. In horses, IgG and IgA are proteins that appear in saliva and serum and are considere...
Towards the Identification of New Biomarkers in Saliva and Serum for Treatment Monitoring of Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome: A Liquid Proteomic Approach. Equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) is a common condition in horses. This study explores the use of liquid proteomics to identify new biomarkers in saliva and serum to monitor EGUS treatment. The proteomes of horses with EGUS before and after a successful treatment with omeprazole were analysed. In saliva, 503 proteins were identified, with 7 upregulated and 6 downregulated post-treatment. Among the proteins that changed, there was an increase in vimentin, linked to wound healing, and a decrease in podocalyxin, associated with tissue damage. In serum, 206 proteins were found, with significant...
Decreased Circulating Red Cell Mass Induced by Intravenous Acepromazine Administration Alters Viscoelastic and Traditional Plasma Coagulation Testing Results in Healthy Horses. Coagulopathy is common in equine critical illness, with its early recognition being crucial for patient management and prognosis. In vitro viscoelastic (VE) hypercoagulability with decreased RCM/PCV has been demonstrated in dogs but not horses. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of acepromazine-induced (0.1 mg/kg IV) decreased RCM on VE and plasma coagulation parameters using a prospective interventional study of eight adult horses. Complete blood count (CBC), fibrinogen, prothrombin time (PT), partial thromboplastin time (PTT), packed cell volume (PCV), total solids (TS), and VCM Vetâ„...
Comparison of a customized glycemic pellets challenge with the oral sugar test to measure glycemic and insulinemic responses in horses. Testing for insulin dysregulation (ID) in horses is commonly performed to guide management and therapeutic strategies. Objective: To evaluate a newly developed glycemic pellets challenge (GPC) and compare results to those obtained using the low-dose oral sugar test (OST). Methods: Twenty-four adult horses with unknown insulin status. Methods: A randomized crossover trial was performed. Horses underwent GPC (0.5 g glycemic carbohydrates/kg body weight) and OST (0.15 mL corn syrup/kg body weight) 7 days apart. Feed was withheld before testing and blood samples were collected at T0, T60, T1...
A first step towards objective grading of equine laryngeal function. Due to concerns about disagreement between veterinarians when grading resting laryngeal function (LF), a diagnostic decision tree (DDT) has been developed by codifying the Havemeyer grading system and objectively defining certain terms to remove ambiguity. Videoendoscopic examinations of the equine larynx that had previously been assigned a unanimous LF grade by 3 experienced observers were used to develop the DDT and determine the cut-off values. The DDT is a flow chart consisting of a series of dichotomous (yes/no) decisions, to dictate the order of decision making and direct the observer do...
Spermatozoal acrosome dysfunction and its role in stallion subfertility. Cases of stallion subfertility due to acrosome dysfunction have been recognized since the 1990s. While some of these were observed in stallions with reduced sperm motility and morphology, a more severe form has been reported in stallions with normal-to-excellent sperm quality parameters, which is also uniquely observed in individuals of the Thoroughbred registry. These stallions carry a susceptibility genotype (A/A-A A in the gene FKBP6, exon 5) for Impaired Acrosomal Exocytosis (IAE). Current clinical observations from our group have identified a few highly subfertile stallions from other bre...
Effect of furosemide on comprehensive renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system activity of Thoroughbred horses. Furosemide, a commonly used diuretic, activates the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) in other species. Little is known about RAAS peptide activation in horses. Objective: To evaluate equilibrium analysis as a practical method for RAAS quantification in horses and describe the RAAS response to a single dose of furosemide. We hypothesize that furosemide would cause transient increase in RAAS peptides in horses. Methods: 14 healthy adult thoroughbreds from a university teaching herd. Methods: Horses received either furosemide (1 mg/kg IV) or saline IV in a crossover study design. Pro...
Lesion size index-guided radiofrequency catheter ablation using an impedance-based three-dimensional mapping system to treat sustained atrial tachycardia in a horse. Sustained atrial tachycardia at an atrial rate of 191/min on the surface ECG was detected in a 6-year-old Warmblood mare. The vectorcardiogram obtained from a 12-lead ECG suggested a caudo-dorsal right atrial origin of the arrhythmia. Impedance-based three-dimensional electro-anatomical mapping, using the EnSite™ Precision Cardiac Mapping System revealed a clockwise macro-reentry around a line of conduction block in the caudomedial right atrium. Ten radiofrequency applications were applied to isolate the caudal vena cava myocardial sleeves at a power of 35 W and mean contact force of 14 ...
Epidemiological investigation of equine rotavirus B outbreaks in horses in central Kentucky. Using metagenomic sequencing we identified equine rotavirus group B (ERVB) of ruminant origin in foal diarrhea outbreaks in the 2021 foaling season. To further investigate ERVB occurrence and determine its environmental stability, we collected mare and foal fecal samples from different farms in Central Kentucky during the 2022 foaling season. The RT-qPCR-based analyses showed that ERVB genome was detected in 16.67 % (42/252) of surveyed mare samples and 26.56 % (34/128) of foal samples. Furthermore, 94.12 % (16/17) of collected soil samples and 100 % (13/13) of water samples obtained f...
Colostrum conductivity, pH and Brix index as predictors of passive immunity transfer in foals. Foal immunity relies heavily on the absorption of colostrum immunoglobulins; thus, colostrum evaluation is used to predict the transfer of passive immunity (TPI), and its conductivity is associated with TPI in cattle. Leading up to and at parturition, a reduction in colostrum pH and conductivity is thought to be necessary for TPI; however, this remains to be determined. Objective: To assess conductivity, pH, and Brix refractometer index of colostrum to predict the TPI in foals. Methods: Field study. Methods: The colostrum of 241 mares was assessed for conductivity, pH, and Brix index using han...
Plasma Lipidomics Reveals Lipid Signatures of Early Pregnancy in Mares. Understanding the systemic biochemistry of early pregnancy in the mare is essential for developing new diagnostics and identifying causes for pregnancy loss. This study aimed to elucidate the dynamic lipidomic changes occurring during the initial stages of equine pregnancy, with a specific focus on days 7 and 14 post-ovulation. By analysing and comparing the plasma lipid profiles of pregnant and non-pregnant mares, the objective of this study was to identify potential biomarkers for pregnancy and gain insights into the biochemical adaptations essential for supporting maternal recognition of pr...
TLR-2 and TLR-4 mRNA expression in different grades of histopathological lesions of equine endometrium from follicular phase. Increased synthesis and deposition of collagen (COL) in the extracellular matrix (ECM) of equine endometrium contributes to endometrosis. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are transmembrane receptors involved in the innate immune response, recognized for their role in antigen recognition and previously associated with equine endometritis. The TLRs not only recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns but also regulate inflammations, fibrosis and cancer. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between TLR expression at different stages of Kenney and Doig's (K-D) grading and COL1 exp...