Omneity® Pellets
All-In-One Vitamin & Mineral Pellet
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.
Assessment of body fat in the pony: part II. Validation of the deuterium oxide dilution technique for the measurement of body fat. Excessive accumulations or depletions of body fat have been associated with increased morbidity and mortality in horses and ponies. An objective, minimally-invasive method to accurately quantify body fat in living animals is required to aid nutritional management and define welfare/performance limits. Objective: To compare deuterium oxide (D(2) O) dilution-derived estimates of total body water (TBW) and body fat with values obtained by 'gold standard' proximate analysis and cadaver dissection. Objective: D(2) O dilution offers a valid method for the determination of TBW and body fat in equids....
Determination of angiotensin I-converting enzyme activity in equine blood: lack of agreement between methods of analysis. Angiotensin-I converting enzyme (ACE) is a key regulator of blood pressure, electrolytes and fluid homeostasis through conversion of angiotensin I into angiotensin II. Recently, a genetic polymorphism of the ACE gene, which accounts for 47% of the variation of ACE activity in blood, has been advocated as a biomarker of athletic aptitude. Different methods of analysis and determination of ACE activity in plasma have been used in human and equine research without a consensus of a "gold standard" method. Different methods have often been used interchangeably or cited as being comparable in the ex...
Reattachment of the articular cartilage component of type 1 subchondral cystic lesions of the medial femoral condyle with polydioxanone pins in 3 horses. 3 horses were referred for treatment of subchondral cystic lesions of 1 or both medial femoral condyles. Results: All horses had clinically apparent lameness confirmed to be due to a radiographically evident subchondral cystic lesion of the medial femoral condyle with a large articular component (> 15 mm) and shallow subchondral depth (< 10 mm). Arthroscopic assessment of affected cartilage revealed undulating cartilage with a relatively smooth surface and extensive residual perimeter attachment. Results: Resorbable polydioxanone pins were used arthroscopically to reattach the cartilage ...
Host blood meal identification by multiplex polymerase chain reaction for dispersal evidence of stable flies (Diptera:Muscidae) between livestock facilities. A species-specific multiplex polymerase chain reaction targeting the cytochrome b gene of cattle, horses, humans, and dogs was developed to determine the blood meal sources of stable flies, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.), collected from Florida equine facilities. Of 595 presumptive blood-fed stable flies analyzed, successful host amplification was obtained in 350, for a field host-detection efficiency of 58.8%. The majority of analyzed stable flies had fed on cattle (64.6%), followed by horses (24.3%), humans (9.5%), and dogs (1.6%). A survey of animal-enclosed pastures occurring within 3 km of stab...
Infection of embryos following insemination of donor mares with equine arteritis virus infective semen. The objective was to evaluate the potential risks associated with embryo transfer from mares bred with equine arteritis virus (EAV) infective semen. Twenty-six mares were embryo donors, whereas 18 unvaccinated and EAV antibody seronegative mares were embryo recipients. Of the 26 donor mares, 15 were unvaccinated and seronegative for antibodies to EAV and 11 were vaccinated for the first time with a commercially available modified live virus vaccine against EVA before breeding and subsequent embryo transfer. All donor mares were bred with EAV-infective semen from a stallion persistently infecte...
Identification and prevalence of errors affecting the quality of radiographs submitted to Australian thoroughbred yearling sale repositories. We aimed to identify common mistakes made when radiographing yearling sale horses. Radiographic examinations from repositories at eight yearling sales held in Australia in 2003 were assessed by one of four veterinary radiology specialists. Each radiographic examination consisted of a maximum of 34 radiographs. Each radiograph was assessed for errors associated with movement, exposure, positioning, labeling or marker placement, and processing, and categorized as either ideal, less than ideal or nondiagnostic. In addition, from the first 800 sets catalogued, 167 were selected randomly and read t...
Use of latex agglutination test to determine rabies antibodies in production of rabies antisera in horses. A therapeutic anti-rabies immunoglobulin for human use has been produced mainly in horses. The presently available seroneutralization test, the rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test (RFFIT), is laborious and rather difficult to carry out in horse farms. This study was undertaken to develop a simple latex agglutination test (LAT) for determining rabies antibodies in horse sera. LAT was validated by testing a total of 468 horse serum samples characterized by RFFIT. Of these, 253 of 260 samples with antibody titers of less than 100 IU/ml had agglutination score of 1+, whereas 174 of 208 samples...
Use of BAER to identify loss of auditory function in older horses. To use the brainstem auditory evoked response (BAER) to test the hypothesis that auditory function could be worse in older horses than in younger horses. Methods: BAER waveforms in response to click stimuli were measured in five younger horses (5-8 years) and four older horses (17-22 years). Results: Compared with the younger horses, the older horses showed significantly (P < 0.02) worse BAER thresholds and significantly (P < 0.02) worse BAER wave V amplitudes to the 90 decibels above normal hearing level stimulus. These results were consistent with partial deafness in the older horse gr...
Rating of putative housekeeping genes for quantitative gene expression analysis in cyclic and early pregnant equine endometrium. The aim was an evaluation of a set of housekeeping genes (HKGs) to be used in the normalization of gene expression in the equine endometrium. Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), hypoxanthine ribosyl transferase 1 (HPRT1), ubiquitin B (UBB), tubulin alpha 1 (TUBA1), ribosomal protein L32 (RPL32), beta-2-microglobulin (B2M), 18S rRNA (18S), and 28S rRNA (28S) HKGs were evaluated using real-time PCR and were compared in different physiological stages of the endometrium. Endometrial biopsies were obtained from mares on day of ovulation (d0, n=4), at late diestrus (LD, n=4), after lut...
Radiography and computed tomography in the diagnosis of nonneoplastic equine mandibular disease. We compared the information gained from computed tomography (CT) vs. radiography in horses with nonneoplastic disease of the mandible. We hypothesized that CT would provide additional diagnostic information. Medical records, radiographs, and CT images of horses with nonneoplastic mandibular disease evaluated between 1994 and 2008 were reviewed. Nineteen horses were identified; 11 had a tooth root abscess and related disease, four had a fracture of the teeth and/or mandible, and four had a nonneoplastic mass. Both CT images and radiographs allowed identification of diseased teeth that appeared ...
Ultrasonographic findings in horses with foot pain but without radiographically detectable osseous abnormalities. Foot pain is an important cause of lameness in horses. When horses with foot pain have no detectable radiographic abnormalities, soft-tissue assessment remains a diagnostic challenge without magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Ultrasonography can provide an alternative to MR imaging when that modality is not available but the extent of changes that might be seen has not been characterized. We reviewed the ultrasonographic findings in 39 horses with lameness responding positively to anesthesia of the palmar digital nerves and without radiographically detectable osseous abnormalities. Thirty of the...
Analysis of osteon morphotype scoring schemes for interpreting load history: evaluation in the chimpanzee femur. Osteon morphotype scores (MTSs) allow for quantification of mechanically important collagen/lamellar variations between secondary osteons when viewed in circularly polarized ight (CPL). We recently modified the 6-point MTS method of Martin et al. (Martin RB, Gibson VA, Stover SM, Gibeling JC, Griffin LV (1996a) Osteonal structure in the equine third metacarpus. Bone 19, 165-71) and reported superiority of this modified method in correlating with 'tension' and 'compression' cortices of both chimpanzee proximal femoral diaphyses and diaphyses of other non-anthropoid bones that are loaded in habi...
Thrombelastography in horses with acute gastrointestinal disease. Coagulopathies in horses with gastrointestinal disease are frequently identified and associated with morbidity and fatality. Objective: Determine if thrombelastography (TEG) identifies abnormalities associated with lesion type, presence of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), morbidity, and fatality more consistently than traditional coagulation testing. Methods: One-hundred and one horses examined for gastrointestinal disease and 20 healthy horses. Methods: TEG, tissue factor (TF)-TEG, and traditional coagulation panels parameters and percentages of horses with coagulopathies were ...
Repetitive stimulation of the common peroneal nerve as a diagnostic aid for botulism in foals. Botulism is a potentially fatal paralytic disorder for which definitive diagnosis is difficult. Objective: To determine if repetitive stimulation of the common peroneal nerve will aid in the diagnosis of botulism in foals. Methods: Four control and 3 affected foals. Methods: Validation of the test in healthy foals for its comparison in foals with suspected botulism. Controls were anesthetized and affected foals were sedated to avoid risks of anesthesia. The common peroneal nerve was chosen for its superficial location and easy access. Stimulating electrodes were placed along the common peronea...
Effects of epidural morphine on gastrointestinal transit in unmedicated horses. To evaluate the effect of epidural morphine on gastrointestinal (GI) motility in horses. Methods: Randomly ordered crossover design. Methods: Six healthy adult horses weighing 585± 48 kg (mean±SD). Methods: Horses were randomly assigned to receive either 0.2 mg kg(-1) morphine or an equal volume (0.04 mL kg(-1)) of saline epidurally (the first inter coccygeal space) with 2 weeks between treatments. The horses were stabled, fed a standardized diet and allowed water ad libitum throughout the duration of the study. Radiopaque spheres were administered by stomach tube. Xylazine 0.2 mg kg(-1) int...
Agreement between measures of total motility and membrane integrity in stallion sperm. Increasing seminal plasma concentrations in extended stallion semen were utilized to model decreasing sperm motility over time. Level of agreement was determined between flow cytometric measurement of sperm membrane integrity, using a combination of SYBR-14 and propidium iodide, and computer-assisted analysis of sperm motility. Values for total sperm motility (TMOT;%) and membrane integrity (SMI;%) were similar (∼80%) at Time 0 within all sperm treatments. However, TMOT was lower than SMI after 24 and 48 h of storage in treatments with >20% seminal plasma. At Time 0, agreement (bias and a...
Dynamic host-bacteria interactions during an acidotic state induction. Mainly due to the lack of time-series data, we know very little about the underlying interactions leading to adverse states in the gut. I therefore investigate the host-bacteria dynamic interactions in a recently published acidotic state induction time-series experiment. Too high levels of fermentation in the hindgut may lead to elevated serum lactate levels, which is a characteristic of the acidotic state. The acidotic state was induced through injection of oligofructose directly into the caecum of five horses, with subsequent temporal measurements of host serum lactate, and a range of caecum...
Serum free cortisol fraction in healthy and septic neonatal foals. Relative cortisol insufficiency occurs in septic foals and impacts survival. Serum free (biologically available) cortisol concentration might be a better indicator of physiologic cortisol status than serum total cortisol concentration in foals. Objective: In septic foals, (1) low free cortisol concentration correlates with disease severity and survival and (2) predicts disease severity and outcome better than total cortisol concentration. Methods: Fifty-one septic foals; 11 healthy foals; 6 healthy horses. Methods: In this prospective clinical study, foals meeting criteria for sepsis at admiss...
Magnetic resonance anatomy of the carpus of the horse described from images acquired from low-field and high-field magnets. Cadaver carpi of 30 mature horses with no history of carpal or proximal metacarpal pain were examined using low-field (0.27 T) and high-field (1.5 T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Normal MRI anatomy in transverse, sagittal, and dorsal plane images was determined by comparison with anatomical specimens and standard texts. Subchondral bone and cortical bone thickness measurements were obtained from standardised sites. There was variable subchondral bone thickness in the radius and carpal bones; subchondral bone thickness was consistently larger at dorsal compared with palmar sites in the...
Second reported case of human infection with Streptococcus equi subsp. ruminatorum. The field of zoonoses changes constantly. Streptococcus equi subsp. ruminatorum is a group C Streptococcus subspecies first identified in 2004. The first case of human infection with this agent was reported in 2007. Here, we report a second case. A 70-year-old man had acute spondylodiscitis and endocarditis involving the anterior mitral valve leaflet. S. equi subsp. ruminatorum was identified in the blood cultures. Antibiotic therapy was successful in eradicating the infection. The workup showed hypogammaglobulinemia with stage I myeloma. He reported frequent contacts with horses including tw...
Influence of modified open lung concept ventilation on the cardiovascular and pulmonary function of horses during total intravenous anaesthesia. The influence of a modified open lung concept (mOLC) on pulmonary and cardiovascular function during total intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA) in horses was evaluated. Forty-two warmblood horses (American Society of Anesthesiologists class 1 to 2), scheduled for elective surgery (mean [sd] weight 526 [65] kg, age 6.4 [5.4] years) were randomly divided into three groups: ventilation with mOLC, intermittent positive-pressure ventilation (IPPV), and spontaneous breathing. Premedication (0.8 mg/kg xylazine), induction (2.2 mg/kg ketamine and 0.05 mg/kg diazepam) and maintenance of anaesthesia with TIVA...
Diagnostic value of the neutrophil myeloperoxidase index in horses with systemic inflammation. The myeloperoxidase index (MPXI) was investigated as a diagnostic indicator of systemic inflammation in a retrospective study using data from 859 hospitalised horses. A reference interval of 8.5-10.4 for the MPXI was established. In horses with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), the MPXI was significantly lower than in healthy horses, those with localised inflammation and those with sepsis. The MPXI in horses with sepsis was also significantly lower than in healthy animals and those with localised inflammation. Horses in the SIRS group with leucopenia, white blood cell (WBC) count...
Use of a Western blot technique for the serodiagnosis of glanders. The in vivo diagnosis of glanders relies on the highly sensitive complement fixation test (CFT). Frequently observed false positive results are troublesome for veterinary authorities and cause financial losses to animal owners. Consequently, there is an urgent need to develop a test with high specificity. Hence, a Western blot assay making use of a partly purified lipopolysaccaride (LPS) containing antigen of three Burkholderia mallei strains was developed. The test was validated investigating a comprehensive set of positive and negative sera obtained from horses and mules from endemic and non...
Assessment of the impact of collection temperature and sampler design on the measurement of exhaled breath condensate pH in healthy horses. The pH measurement of exhaled breath condensate (EBC) may provide a non-invasive method of assessing the lower airways of horses but the methodology used may influence findings. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of two sampling devices and three methods of condensation surface cooling (ethanol slush, -100°C; dry ice, -75°C; water ice, 0°C) on EBC pH. Each method was tested 30 times using six healthy ponies. Sample pH was determined before and after de-aeration with argon for 10 min. Sampler design was found to significantly affect pH. Samples collected as a liquid had a si...
Factors influencing equine chorionic gonadotrophin production in the mare. An opportunity to monitor equine chorionic gonadotrophin (eCG) production during 61 pregnancies in 25 Thoroughbred mares mated to the same Thoroughbred stallion was utilised in order to further knowledge regarding factors involved in the production of this hormone. Objective: To examine the effects of maternal body condition, exercise and parity on eCG production. Methods: In the first experiment, maiden mares were fed either a moderate (n = 9) or an excessive (n = 10) food intake throughout gestation. In the second experiment, 5 mares were exercised daily during pregnancy and eCG production r...
Comparison of three diagnostic methods to identify subclinical endometritis in mares. The objective of this study was to compare the accuracy of a uterine swab (US), a cytological brush (CB) and an endometrial biopsy (EB) to detect subclinical endometritis in mares. Cytological and bacteriological results of all three techniques were related to histological occurrence of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) in the stratum compactum, commonly known as 'best standard'; to diagnose endometritis. Samples were taken from 55 mares of different breeds without clinical signs of endometritis. Samples for US, CB and EB were collected, smeared on a microscopic slide and cultured for bacte...
Serum levels of acute phase proteins: SAA, Hp and progesterone (P4) in mares with early embryonic death. The study involved 46 healthy purebred Arabian mares exhibiting regular oestrous cycles that underwent artificial insemination (AI). Pregnancy was detected ultrasonographically (US) in 40 mares. In 15 mares in foal, early embryonic death (EED) was observed during the pregnancy days 14-21. Blood for determinations of serum acute phase proteins (SAA and Hp) and progesterone (P4) was sampled 12-24 h before ovulation and the first insemination, at 12, 24, 72, 96 h and on day 7, 10, 14, 21, 35 and 55 after ovulation. The results revealed that in 25 mares without EED, the serum levels of P4, SAA and...
Immunocytochemical detection of Rhodococcus equi in tracheal washes of foals. The aim of the present study was to develop an immunocytochemical procedure for the early detection and demonstration of Rhodococcus equi in smears of tracheal aspirates taken from live foals in field conditions. Tracheal wash samples were collected from thoroughbred foals, aged 1-5 months and located in studs around Bursa and Istanbul, Turkey. Some foals were suspected of having R. equi infection on the basis of clinical examination (n=56) and others were unaffected control animals (n=54). Serum samples were also collected from each foal for testing for the presence of R. equi-specific antibo...
