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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.
Outcome of desmoplasty and fasciotomy for desmitis involving the origin of the suspensory ligament in horses: 27 cases (1995-2004). To determine outcome of percutaneous ultrasound-guided desmoplasty with simultaneous fasciotomy for proximal suspensory desmitis (ie, desmitis of the origin of the suspensory ligament) in horses that have not responded to stall rest. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: 27 horses. Methods: Medical records of horses with proximal suspensory desmitis treated by means of desmoplasty with fasciotomy were reviewed. Follow-up information was obtained through telephone conversations with owners and trainers of the horses or by examination of horses at the hospital. Results: 23 of the 27 (85%)...
Vascular distribution of contrast medium during intraosseous regional perfusion of the distal portion of the equine forelimb. To describe the vascular distribution pattern of contrast medium during intraosseous regional perfusion (IORP) of the distal portion of the equine forelimb. Methods: 13 cadaveric forelimbs from 12 horses without forelimb diseases. Methods: Serial lateromedial radiographic views were taken of the distal portion of 10 heparinized cadaveric forelimbs at 0, 1, 2, 6, 15, and 30 minutes during IORP of the third metacarpal bone (MCIII) by use of iodinated contrast medium and a tourniquet placed over the proximal portion of MCIII. Vascular regions of interest (ROI) were created for each radiograph. Re...
Temporomandibular joint cytokine profiles in the horse. It has been suggested that dental abnormalities lead to temporomandibular joint inflammation and pain that may be mitigated by regular dental care. There is considerable literature on the pathophysiology of equine joint disease including studies on cytokine profiles in diseased appendicular joints. This study examined the effects of age and dental malocclusions summarized as a dental pathology score on equine temporomandibular joint cytokine (IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, TNF alpha and TGF-beta1, -beta2, -beta3) concentrations. TGF-beta3 was not detected in any joint sample. IL-1, IL-6 and TNF alpha were ...
Measurement of abnormal respiratory sounds during over-ground exercise. The presence of abnormal respiratory sounds is commonly associated with obstructions of the upper respiratory tract. In order to establish their clinical significance measurements are required of both normal and abnormal respiratory sounds produced by horses exercising over-ground. Objective: To determine whether high quality recordings of respiratory sound can be made during over-ground exercise, and to develop a convenient measurement system that can be used to obtain respiratory sounds from horses exercising in field conditions. Methods: A range of prototypes was evaluated against the requi...
Arthrogenic lameness of the fetlock: synovial fluid markers of inflammation and cartilage turnover in relation to clinical joint pain. Joint pain is one of the most common causes of lameness in the horse but its pathogenesis is poorly understood. Objective: To investigate which synovial fluid markers may be related to the presence of clinically detectable joint pain in the horse. Methods: Concentrations of structural (CPII, C2C, GAG) and inflammatory markers (PGE2, LTB4, CysLTs, bradykinin and substance P) were measured in fetlock joint fluid from 22 horses in which lameness was localised to the fetlock region by perineural anaesthesia. Levels of these markers were then compared in horses that responded (n = 15) to those that...
Risk factors for colic in horses after general anaesthesia for MRI or nonabdominal surgery: absence of evidence of effect from perianaesthetic morphine. Post anaesthetic colic is a recognised risk of general anaesthesia (GA), but causes are poorly understood. Objective: To identify risk factors for development of colic following GA for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or nonabdominal surgery and to test whether the use of perianaesthetic morphine was associated with an increased risk of post anaesthetic colic. Methods: A total of 553 anaesthetic and clinical records of 500 horses anaesthetised at the Animal Health Trust were analysed, 342 (62%) involved MRI and 211 (38%) nonabdominal, predominantly orthopaedic surgery. Multivariable logistic r...
Ultrasonographic technique and normal anatomic features of the sacroiliac region in horses. The purpose of this study was to establish the normal percutaneous ultrasonographic appearance of anatomic structures within the equine sacroiliac region. Percutaneous ultrasonography was performed in a cranial-to-caudal direction in 10 normal adult live horses. The following structures were examined in detail: supraspinous ligament, lumbar and sacral spinous processes, thoracolumbar fascia and its caudal extension, tubera sacralia, ilial wings, dorsal and lateral portions of the dorsal sacroiliac ligaments, lateral part of the sacrum, and the lateral sacral crest. After ultrasonography, all a...
A preliminary study on the induction of dioestrous ovulation in the mare–a possible method for inducing prolonged luteal phase. Strong oestrous symptoms in the mare can cause problems with racing, training and handling. Since long-acting progesterone treatment is not permitted in mares at competition (e.g. according to FEI rules), there is a need for methods to suppress unwanted cyclicity. Spontaneous dioestrous ovulations in the late luteal phase may cause a prolongation of the luteal phase in mares. Methods: In this preliminary study, in an attempt to induce ovulation during the luteal phase, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) (3000 IU) was injected intramuscularly in four mares (experimental group) in the luteal pha...
[Depiction of the structure of the vitreous body in horses without ocular diseases and in horses with equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) using transmission electron microscopy]. Neither the ultrastructure of the vitreous body from horses without ocular diseases, nor the pathomorphological changes in the vitreous body associated with equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) have been described. However, the vitreous body plays an important role in the pathogenesis of ERU. Ten vitreous body samples obtained from 5 horses without ocular disease, and 38 vitreous body samples from horses with ERU (collected during vitrectomy) were examined by transmission electron microscopy. The vitreous body samples of horses without ocular diseases were characterized by a loose network of unbranc...
Hemangiopericytoma in the eyelid of a horse. Hemangiopericytoma (HP) is a well-recognized neoplasm arising from vascular pericytes that has been reported only in the dog and man. In this study, we describe a 14-year-old female Arabian horse that was presented for surgical excision of a 2-cm-diameter expansile subcuticular mass in the right lower eyelid. Histologically, the mass consisted of loosely arranged interlacing streams and storiform bundles of spindle cells that often formed distinct whorls around a central capillary and bundles of collagen (Antoni A-like pattern). Immunohistochemical analysis revealed strong diffuse cytoplasmic ...
Hemoperitoneum in horses: 67 cases (1989-2004). To evaluate clinical findings, underlying causes, and short-term outcome associated with hemoperitoneum in horses. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: 67 horses with hemoperitoneum. Methods: Medical records of horses with hemo-peritoneum (excluding postoperative abdominal hemorrhage) from 1989 through 2004 were analyzed. Information obtained included history, signalment, physical examination findings, diagnostic test results, and short-term outcome. Results: Breed distribution was 28 Thoroughbreds, 13 Arabians, 10 Quarter Horses, 5 Warmbloods, 3 Appaloosas, and 1 each of 8 other breed...
Application of polymerase chain reaction and virus isolation techniques for the detection of viruses in aborted and newborn foals. The occurrence of two important pathogens, equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV1) and equine arteritis virus (EAV) causing abortions, perinatal foal mortality and respiratory disease, was investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and virus isolation to demonstrate the presence of abortigenic viruses in samples from 248 horse fetuses in Hungary. We found 26 EHV1- and 4 EAV-positive aborted or prematurely born foals from 16 and 4 outbreaks, respectively, proving that despite the widely applied vaccination, EHV1 is a far more important cause of abortions in the studs than EAV. We compared the virus co...
Highly diverse type of equine arteritis virus (EAV) from the semen of a South African donkey: short communication. Equine arteritis virus (EAV) was detected by RT-nested PCR in semen samples from a naturally infected South African donkey. Sequence analysis of the amplified ORF5 fragment revealed only 60 to 70% nucleotide identity to a panel of EAV reference sequences. The unique donkey EAV sequence was also found to be stable during passage in horses. The sequence data reported in this study indicate that the South African donkey variant might represent a new genotype of EAV. The distinct genetic properties of the South African asinine strain of EAV suggest a divergent evolution of this arterivirus in vari...
Use of accelerating solvent extraction for detecting non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in horse feces. Feces are a possible medium to be used for horse doping control. Efficient methods for detecting drugs in feces collected from various animals are routinely applied in institutes of food safety in Belgium. We have already tested whether they are applicable to horse feces. In this report, accelerated solvent extraction (ASE), an efficient method for extracting compounds from solid material, has been tested. ASE has been used to replace the diethyl ether liquid-liquid extraction step present in the method initially set up. This technique has been optimized for detecting several non-steroidal ant...
Three-dimensional optic axis determination using variable-incidence-angle polarization-optical coherence tomography. Polarization optical coherence tomography (PSOCT) is a powerful technique to nondestructively map the retardance and fast-axis orientation of birefringent biological tissues. Previous studies have concentrated on the case where the optic axis lies on the plane of the surface. We describe a method to determine the polar angle of the optic axis of a uniaxial birefringent tissue by making PSOCT measurements with a number of incident illumination directions. The method is validated on equine flexor tendon, yielding a variability of 4% for the true birefringence and 3% for the polar angle. We use t...
Pathogenesis and treatment of endometritis in the mare: a review. Inflammatory conditions of the uterus, collectively known as endometritis, can be classified as acute, chronic, active, or subclinical. This condition causes substantial reductions in mare fertility. To diagnose and treat mares with endometrial inflammation, it is imperative to identify predisposing factors and challenges to the reproductive tract of the mare in a chronological order; these factors change from those of the young maiden filly to the older, multiparous broodmare. This paper addresses predisposing factors, diagnostic procedures and therapy strategies for different mare groups.
Determination of zearalenone and its metabolites in urine, plasma and faeces of horses by HPLC-APCI-MS. The paper describes a method for the sensitive and selective determination of zearalenone and its metabolites in urine, plasma and faeces of horses by high performance liquid chromatography and atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation (APCI) mass spectrometry (MS). While only one step sample clean-up by an immunoaffinity column (IAC) was sufficient for plasma samples, urine and faeces samples had to be prepared by a combination of a solid-phase extraction (SPE) and an immunoaffinity column. The method allows the simultaneous determination of zearalenone and all of its metabolites; alpha-zearal...
Effect of head position on intraocular pressure in horses. To evaluate the effect of head position on intraocular pressure (IOP) in horses. Methods: 30 horses. Methods: Horses were sedated with detomidine HCl (0.01 mg/kg, IV). Auriculopalpebral nerve blocks were applied bilaterally with 2% lidocaine HCl. The corneas of both eyes were anesthetized with ophthalmic 0.5% proparacaine solution. Intraocular pressures were measured with an applanation tonometer with the head positioned below and above heart level. The mean of 3 readings was taken for each eye at each position for data analysis. The effect of head position on IOP was assessed and generalized ...
Getting a grip on strangles: recent progress towards improved diagnostics and vaccines. 'Strangles', caused by infection with the bacterium Streptococcus equi, remains one of the most commonly diagnosed and important infectious diseases of horses world-wide. This review discusses the diagnosis and pathogenesis of strangles with particular attention to the significance of persistent infections in disease transmission and the rapid progress now being made towards the development of effective preventative vaccines. It is now possible combine recent sequence data from the N-terminal region of the SeM protein and reassign the SeM alleles using the on-line database http://pubmlst.org/s...
The evaluation of extracorporeal shock wave therapy on collagenase induced superficial digital flexor tendonitis. Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) is being used to treat desmitis and tendonitis in horses. This paper compares the clinical, ultrasonographic and histological characteristics of ESWT treated collagenase induced superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) lesions, versus untreated controls. This blinded study utilizes six mature, healthy horses where bilateral forelimb SDFT lesions were induced. One forelimb was treated while the other served as an untreated control. Three shock wave treatments were administered at three week intervals. At weekly intervals, ultrasonograms were used to meas...
[Elevation of IFN-gamma transcription level in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of EIAV vaccinated horses]. To evaluate the relationship between the transcriptional level of IFN-gamma mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and immune protective response driven by inoculated horses with donkey leukocyte attenuated vaccine of EIAV(DLV), and to elucidate the immune mechanism of DLV. Methods: A real-time PCR method was established for quantitative detection of IFN-gamma mRNA level from horse PBMCs. Twelve horses were divided into vaccination group, healthy control group, challenging control group and EIAV natural infection group. The transcriptional level and distribution of IFN-gamma mRNA in...
Equine trypanosomosis in the Central River Division of The Gambia: a study of veterinary gate-clinic consultation records. The objective of this study was to provide epidemiological information of equine trypanosomosis in the Central River Division (CRD) of The Gambia. Therefore, 2285 consultations records of equines, admitted in a gate-clinic at Sololo in CRD, were studied retrospectively. The data were recorded in the period between September 1995 and July 2002 and comprised consultations of 2113 horses and 172 donkeys. 'Trypanosome infection' was the most frequently diagnosed condition and accounted for 61% of the cases. Horses were more frequently diagnosed with trypanosome infections than donkeys (p1 year) we...
Investigations of the reliability of observational gait analysis for the assessment of lameness in horses. The objectives of this study were to assess the reliability of a numerical rating scale (NRS) and a verbal rating scale (VRS) for the assessment of lameness in horses and to determine whether they can be used interchangeably. Sixteen independent observers graded the severity of lameness in 20 videotaped horses, and the agreement between and within observers, correlation and bias were determined for each scale. The observers agreed with each other in 56 per cent of the observations with the NRS and in 60 per cent of the observations with the VRS, and the associated Kendall coefficient of concor...
Identification of Taylorella equigenitalis responsible for contagious equine metritis in equine genital swabs by direct polymerase chain reaction. A direct-PCR assay was developed for the rapid detection of Taylorella equigenitalis, a Gram-negative bacterium responsible for contagious equine metritis (CEM) in Equidae. The bacteria may be detected in equine genital swabs without need for a preliminary step of DNA extraction or bacterial isolation. Specificity was determined with 125 isolates of T. equigenitalis, 24 isolates of Taylorella asinigenitalis, five commensal bacteria of the genital tract and a facultative intracellular pathogen of foals found in large concentration in soil. Our PCR is specific and amplified a 413-bp 16S ribosoma...
Inability of kaolin treatment to remove nonspecific inhibitors from equine serum for the hemagglutination inhibition test against equine H7N7 influenza virus. The hemagglutination inhibition test is used by many diagnostic and surveillance laboratories for detection of antibodies to influenza viruses. It is well known that the hemagglutination inhibition test is affected by nonspecific inhibitors present in equine serum. Several serum treatments are in use to remove these inhibitors, including treatment with kaolin. Discrepant results were observed in the authors' laboratories when using kaolin treatment before testing equine sera for antibodies against equine influenza virus (EIV) subtype-1 (H7N7). It is demonstrated here that kaolin treatment lead...
Rapid, multiwell colorimetric assay for measuring neutrophil chemoattractant activity in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of horses with recurrent airway obstruction. The criteria used to diagnose recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) in affected horses include demonstration of reversible lower airway obstruction and greater than 25% neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Additional objective laboratory tests are needed to improve diagnostic accuracy and to monitor response to treatment. The goal of this study was to determine if neutrophil chemoattractant activity of BALF could be measured by using a previously described, rapid, multiwell colorimetric assay for chemotaxis. In this assay, neutrophils that have migrated through a membrane filter ar...
Evaluation of nephelometry for albumin measurement in serum and cerebrospinal fluid: experiences with an indwelling subarachnoidal catheter system for repetitive cerebrospinal fluid collection in horses. The measurement of albumin concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum for albumin quotient (AQ) calculations in normal horses was performed by 2 methods: 1) total protein measurement, followed by electrophoresis of the samples to obtain an albumin percentage; and 2) albumin immunoprecipitation quantitated by nephelometry. The results of both methods correlated well, and nephelometry was chosen to determine the albumin concentrations in CSF samples obtained from an indwelling subarachnoidal catheter for daily sampling. Because the use of an indwelling catheter to collect repetitive C...
Onchocercosis of an intervertebral joint capsule causing cervical vertebral stenotic myelopathy in a horse. A novel case where onchocercosis was identified as a cause of cervical myelopathy in the horse is described. A 15-year-old Connemara mare was euthanized due to progressive locomotion disturbance. Postmortem examination revealed soft-tissue swelling in the intervertebral joint capsule of C6-7 with narrowing of the vertebral canal. On light microscopy, axonopathy was pronounced in the corresponding segment of the spinal cord. Fibrous tissue and eosinophilic granulomas were found in the joint capsule, together with parasites identified histologically as Onchocerca sp.
