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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.
Prevalence and response to surgical treatment of lateral palmar intercarpal ligament avulsion in horses: 37 cases (1990-2001). To clarify the diagnosis of avulsion of the lateral palmar intercarpal ligament (LPICL), correlate avulsion of this ligament with lameness, determine the prevalence of avulsion of the LPICL in a hospital population, and evaluate the response to surgical removal of the avulsion fragment in horses. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 37 horses with avulsion of the LPICL. Methods: Medical records and radiographs of horses with avulsion of the LPICL were reviewed; follow-up information was obtained from race records and from owners via a telephone survey. Results: Of 6,418 horses evaluated for ...
Influence of the coat color on the trace elemental status measured by particle-induced X-ray emission in horse hair. The influence of hair color on the trace elemental status in horse's hair has been studied. A current analytical technique such as particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) used in this study has provided reliable, rapid, easy, and relatively inexpensive diagnostic methods. Twenty-eight elements (Al, Br, Ca, Cl, Co, Cu, Cr, Fe, Ga, Hg, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Nb, Ni, P, Pb, Rb, S, Se, Si, Sr, Ti, V, Y, and Zn) in mane hair were detected by the PIXE method. The gray hair contains significantly greater amounts of Cu, Ti, and Zn, and lower amounts of Br, Ca, Se, and Sr than those in other colored horse h...
A comparison of subjective and quantitative methods for detection of physitis in Thoroughbred foals. To compare subjective and quantitative methods of assessing physeal swelling of the distal third metacarpal (Mc3) and metatarsal (Mt3) bones of Thoroughbred foals. Methods: The fetlocks of 16 Thoroughbred foals were filmed on five occasions over a period of 5 months and the video images were transferred to computer and digitised. The rate of change of each of the medial and lateral contours of the distal Mc3 and Mt3 bones was determined by calculating values for the second derivative of the contour. The degree of physeal swelling at the same site was subjectively assessed and allocated a grade...
Effect of clenbuterol on the clearance of particles of charcoal (4 to 90 microm) from the uteri of mares. The failure of clearance mechanisms in the mare's uterus results in persistent inflammation and is considered a major cause of subfertility. Eighteen mares, of which three were susceptible to endometritis and four had been ovariectomised, underwent charcoal clearance testing to evaluate their clearance mechanisms. This consisted of installing 500 mg of charcoal (particle size 4 to 90 microm) added to 50 ml of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) into the uterus. Forty-eight hours later the uterus was flushed out with 0.0012 per cent methylene blue in 50 ml of PBS for determination of the diluting f...
The quantitative assessment of photodensity of the third carpal bone in the horse. To determine whether variation in x-ray-beam angle significantly affected photodensity of the third carpal bone (C3) in the horse using the tangential radiographic view, and indirectly determine whether radioabsorptiometry (RA) could be used to assess differences in bone mineral density (BMD) of C3 between exercised and non-exercised horses. Methods: The left distal carpal row was isolated post-mortem from 2-year-old Thoroughbred horses that had been either exercised (n=7) for up to 14 weeks using a standard training regimen for racehorses, or not exercised (n=7). The effect of variation in x-...
Isoflurane measurement error using short wavelength infrared techniques in horses: influence of fresh gas flow and pre-anaesthetic food deprivation. To quantify the isoflurane measurement error arising from the use of short wavelength infrared (IR) anaesthetic gas analysis during low flow anaesthesia in horses. Methods: Prospective clinical study. Methods: Sixty-four client-owned horses referred for elective or emergency surgery (age 1-16 years, body mass 400-650 kg). Methods: Horses were divided into four groups based on duration of pre-anaesthetic food deprivation period (FDP) and fresh gas flow during anaesthesia: a high flow group with normal FDP (n = 16) and three groups with low flow and normal (n = 29), long (n = 5) or no (n = 14) F...
Evaluation of architectural changes along the proximal to distal regions of the dorsal laminar interface in the equine hoof. To describe architectural changes along the dorsal laminar interface of the equine foot. Methods: 6 macroscopically normal forefeet obtained from 6 equine cadavers. Methods: Histologic sections of 8 evenly spaced, proximal to distal, samples of the dorsal laminar interface were photographed, digitized, and examined for differences in architecture. Laminar depth; secondary laminar density; number and consistency of bifurcations occurring within the secondary laminae, and areas composed of primary dermal lamina, primary epidermal lamina, and secondary laminar interface were recorded. Data were e...
Effects of racetrack exercise on third metacarpal and carpal bone of New Zealand thoroughbred horses. The response of equine bone to training has not been quantified in racetrack trained horses, only in treadmill exercised horses. Seven two-year-old thoroughbred fillies were trained on sand and grass at a racetrack, in a typical New Zealand flatrace training regime. The horses were exercised 6 days per week for up to 13 weeks. During the day the horses were confined in 4 x 4m sand yards, and were stalled at night. Another 7 fillies of the same age were allowed free exercise in grass yards. The bones of the animals were available after the 13 week experimental period, and were examined using a ...
Binding of cellular proteins to the leader RNA of equine arteritis virus. The genome of equine arteritis virus (EAV) produces a 3' coterminal-nested set of six subgenomic (sg) viral RNAs during virus replication cycle, and each set possesses a common leader sequence of 206 nucleotides (nt) in length derived from the 5' end of the viral genome. Given the presence of the leader region within both genomic and sg mRNAs, it is likely to contain cis-acting signals that may interact with cellular or viral proteins for RNA synthesis. Gel mobility shift assays indicated that proteins in Vero cell cytoplasmic extracts formed complexes with the positive (+) and negative (-) st...
Larval development assay for detection of anthelmintic resistance in cyathostomins of Swedish horses. The aim of this study was to investigate the suitability of a larval development assay (LDA) for the determination of anthelmintic resistance in cyathostomin nematode populations of the horse. In addition, comparison of results between geographic regions, types of horse establishment, and the use of anthelmintics in Sweden, was established. Seventy horse herds from different parts of Sweden were sampled, and strongyle eggs from the faeces of 54 of those were investigated by an LDA (DrenchRite). The following anthelmintics were tested: thiabendazole (TBZ), levamisole (LEV), ivermectin monosacch...
Reliability of cardiorespiratory measurements with a new ergospirometer during intense treadmill exercise in Thoroughbred horses. This study investigated the reliability of measurements with a new equine ergospirometer (Quadflow). Heart rate and blood lactate responses during exercise in horses wearing the Quadflow and an open flow mask were also compared. The mean percentage error of the oxygen uptake measurements was 8.2% (range 2.1-12.5%). Percent error for peak expiratory flow rates ranged from 6.1% to 9.4 %, and for minute ventilation from 2.5% to 7.4%. The coefficients of variation of the means of four measurements in two horses exercising continuously at 9.0 m/s were <5% for variables related to pulmonary venti...
Blood-oxygen binding in healthy Standardbred horses. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of regulating factors on the oxygen equilibrium curve (OEC) under standard conditions and then to calculate the oxygen extraction between arterial and jugular venous blood in healthy Standardbred horses. The results were compared to those previously obtained in humans and cattle, using the same experimental method. The partial oxygen pressure at 50% saturation of haemoglobin, measured under standard conditions (standard P50), was 24.8+/-2.0 (SD of mean) mmHg. This value was similar to the cattle standard P50 (25.0+/-1.4 mmHg, SD of mean) bu...
Pregnancy status determination in mares using a rapid lateral flow test for measuring serum oestrone sulphate. To develop a means of determining pregnancy status in horses based on measuring serum oestrone sulphate (OS) concentrations using a rapid lateral flow immunoassay, and to determine the assay's effectiveness using a visual end-point. Methods: Serum samples from mares >100 days post-mating (n=701) were assayed using a nitrocellulose membrane-based lateral flow immunoassay device. The device was developed using membrane-bound 1,3,5 (10)-estratrien-3-ol-17-one conjugated to bovine serum albumin as the capture antigen, and an OS-detection monoclonal antibody coupled to colloidal gold as the visi...
Natural recombinant between equine herpesviruses 1 and 4 in the ICP4 gene. Equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) is a pathogen causing rhinopneumonia in young horses, abortion in mares, and myeloencephalitis in adult horses. Two types, EHV-1 P and EHV-1 B, have recently been dominant among 16 electropherotypes. EHV-1 P and EHV-1 B viruses were compared by long and accurate polymerase chain reaction (LA-PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. Differences in restriction sites were found to be focused in ORF64, which encodes the infected cell protein 4 (ICP4), and downstream of the ICP4 gene. The 3 ' -end and downstream of ICP4 gene of EHV-1 B were fou...
Molecular detection of Babesia equi in infected and carrier horses by polymerase chain reaction. Twenty-three blood samples were used in this study; five were from five naturally infected horses with Babesia equi (B. equi), while eighteen were from asymptomatic horses with equine babesiasis from different localities in Egypt. All samples were subjected to microscopic examination, indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The carrier animals were microscopically detected in 7 out of 18 samples (38.8%) and in 9 of 18 by using IFA (50%), whereas PCR revealed that 14 samples were positive (78%). Two synthetic oligonucleotide primers, based on the B. equi me...
Measurement of serum IgG in foals by radial immunodiffusion and automated turbidimetric immunoassay. Hypogammaglobulinemia as a result of failure of transfer of passive immunity (FTPI) is an important risk factor for infectious disease in neonatal foals. The current gold standard for determining serum immunoglobulin concentrations is radial immunodiffusion (RID). The purpose of this study was to compare immunoglobulin concentrations measured by RID with those determined by an automated turbidimetric immunoassay (TIA), which has a much shorter turnaround time. Immunoglobulin concentrations were measured by both RID and TIA in serum collected from 84 neonatal foals. Sixty-seven foals had result...
Detection of antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi in naturally infected horses in the USA by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using whole-cell and recombinant antigens. Blood samples were collected from 98 horses suspected of having borreliosis or granulocytic ehrlichiosis in Connecticut and New York State, USA during 1985, 1995, and 1996. Serum antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi were detected by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), based on whole-cell and recombinant antigens, in 82 (84%) horses. Of the 181 sera tested, 59% were positive, using whole-cell antigens, compared to 48% with protein (p)37 and 35% with VlsE antigens. An ELISA containing either of these fusion proteins can be used as an adjunct to general screening by an ELISA or immunoblot...
Insulin-like growth factor-I as a follicular growth promoter during early pregnancy in thoroughbred mares. To elucidate the physiological role of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) during early pregnancy in mares, number of ovarian follicles was monitored ultrasonically during different stages of the first trimester of pregnancy in 36 thoroughbred mares. From 9 of 36 mares, blood samples were collected weekly from the mating day till the end of the first trimester of pregnancy and plasma IGF-I profiles were examined with other hormones, like follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), ir-inhibin, progesterone and estradiol-17beta. Plasma IGF-I level fluctuated throughout the stu...
Measurement of erythrocyte carbonic anhydrase isozymes (CA-I and CA-II) in racehorses and riding horses. Equine carbonic anhydrase isozymes (CA-I and CA-II) were purified from erythrocytes by several column chromatography. Polyclonal anti-CA-I and anti-CA-II sera were produced in rabbits. Sensitive competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) were established to determine the developmental changes in CA-I and CA-II levels in equine erythrocytes. Concentrations of CA-I and CA-II in erythrocytes from 150 clinically normal thoroughbreds (123 racehorses and 27 riding horses) were determined by ELISA. Mean (+/- SD) concentrations of CA-I and CA-II in racehorses were 1.70 +/- 0.48 and 0.94 +/...
Bipartite distal phalanx and navicular bone in an Andalusian stallion. We describe the clinical findings and radiographic abnormalities of a horse with a bipartite distal phalanx and a bipartite navicular bone of the right forelimb. Associated findings including suspected keratoma and degenerative joint disease of the distal interphalangeal joint are described and possible etiologies are discussed.
Wounds of the distal limb complicated by involvement of deep structures. The authors describe the clinically relevant structures of the distal limb and the current diagnostic and treatment modalities. Specific problems include tendon laceration, septic tenosynovitis, and sep-tic arthritis of the distal joints. A detailed description of tendon repair, tendon sheath lavage, and postoperative convalescent methodology is provided. This article makes available to the reader information necessary to appropriately diagnose and treat wounds of the distal equine limb involving deep structures. Information on the overall prognosis is also provided.
Diagnostic application of immunoperoxidase monolayer assay using monoclonal antibodies produced against equine arteritis virus 14-kDa nucleocapsid protein. Two monoclonal antibodies against the Bucyrus strain of equine arteritis virus (EAV) were produced, and according to immunoperoxidase reaction following Western blot of electrophoresed EAV structural proteins, they recognized the nucleocapsid (N) protein antigen (14-kDa protein). Besides reacting with the blotted polypeptide, the antibodies of the two clones (designated 1H1 and 4G6) selected from 576 have shown high affinity and specificity to intracellular virus antigen as well. Both antibodies reacted with the representatives of the different subtypes of equine arteritis virus providing a su...
Identification of strongyle eggs from anthelmintic-treated horses using a PCR-ELISA based on intergenic DNA sequences. The efficacy of five daily fenbendazole (FBZ) treatments was tested against benzimidazole-resistant cyathostomins in naturally infected horses (n=13). Horses were treated with pyrantel embonate (PYR) to remove adult strongyles followed, 7 days later, by a 5-day course of FBZ. The PYR treatment produced an average faecal egg count reduction of 98%. All samples were negative by faecal egg count 7 days after the start of the FBZ treatment. Positive egg counts were observed from 28 days after the start of FBZ treatment and all horses displayed positive faecal egg counts by 77 days after treatment....
Advances in equine ultrasonography. The digital storage and transfer of images coupled with the development of the Internet have revolutionized diagnostic imaging. With the press of a button, practitioners can exploit the diagnostic skills of specialists anywhere in the world and enlist their help with challenging cases. This easy transfer of images and digital data should stimulate a greater number of multicenter studies so that the sensitivity and specificity of ultrasonographic techniques can be established in larger and more meaningful cohorts of patients. There is now no doubt that we can identify a plethora of conditions o...
Digital imaging advances and the future. Digitization of clinical data is becoming increasingly important in veterinary medicine. Current veterinary applications range from digital cameras to computed radiography. The opportunity for increased productivity and diagnostic capabilities makes the computerization of veterinary medicine especially exciting. Future trends seem to indicate that more veterinarians should have better technology available in their practices and more veterinarians should be connected to experts, clients, and each other.
Respiratory applications for the future: one perspective. Respiratory diagnostic instruments previously available only to referral centers should be converted into miniature, portable, wireless medical devices for use in practice. Internet and wireless connections of these instruments should expedite the process of seeking second opinions and in general information sharing. We are moving into a world of greater objectivity that should free us from speculation in some areas, yet open new avenues for research and innovation in others.
