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.
Aberrant retropharyngeal lymph nodes of a horse (Equus caballus). The occurrence of aberrant lymph nodes, on both sides of the head of a horse, belonging to the retropharyngeal lymphocenter has been reported.
Cardiac monitoring during exercise tests in the horse. 2. Heart rate responses to exercise. Data on resting heart rates, pre-exercise heart rates, the anticipatory rises before exercise, the influence of speed of work and recovery heart rates have been presented. Some observations on differences in the heart rate response on slow and fast working days are also recorded. In conformity with other workers, a linear relationship between heart rate and working speed within the range of 400-800 metre/min was observed. When the speed of work was between 400-800 metre/min, horses with resting ECG's classed as abnormal had significantly higher heart rates than those regarded as normal. It was...
Studies on erythrocyte metabolism following acute blood loss in the horse. Anaemic horses do not provide reticulocytes during an erythropietic response. Acute blood loss was studied in 4 ponies as a model to monitor changes in erythrocyte metabolism during active erythropoiesis. Following phlebotomy, erythrocyte adenosine-5-triphosphate, adenosine-5-diphosphate, glucose-6-phosphate, fructose-6-phosphate, and phosphoenolpyruvate increased signifcantly. The remaining glycolytic intermediates did not change. It is suggested that the determination of erythrocyte adenosine-5-triphosphate may be used to evaluate erythrocyte response following acute blood loss in the horse....
Viscosity of equine synovial fluid. Synovial fluid samples from 51 light horses were examined with respect to their rhéologie properties. The analyses were made with a Rotovisco RV3 rotational viscosimeter. Samples from carpal, stifle and hock joints and from healthy joints, joints with synovitis and joints with infectious arthritis were studied. The analyses showed that synovial fluids from both healthy and diseased joints have complex rhéologie properties. In most samples the viscosity varied with the shear rates, the main exceptions being synovial fluids from joints with infectious arthritis. Flow curves (flow behaviour), r...
Spatial vector changes during ventricular depolarisation using a semi-orthogonal lead system–a study of 190 cases. The paper describes the spatial vector changes during ventricular depolarisation in 190 horses using a semi-orthogonal ECG lead system. The replacement of planar vector loops by a plot of 3 parameters to depict the changing spatial vector, with a time base on the X axis, is described and illustrated. Some horses with diastolic murmurs and some with a history of respiratory problems formed 2 distinct groups. As a result of these findings a possible relationship between the vector changes and the anatomical siting of the ventricles is suggested and discussed. Attention is drawn to certain measur...
Identification of allergens in extract of horse hair and dandruff by means of crossed radioimmunoelectrophoresis. Sera from 26 patients and 4 normals were examined for specific IgE binding to antigens of extract of horse hair and dandruff by means of CRIE. 22 of the patients were RAST- and intracutaneous-positive to horse extract. 4 more of the patients were RAST-negative to horse allergens, but showed allergies to extract of allergens from sources other than horse. The remaining four sera from controls were RAST-negative to horse and had no history of allergy. Antigens of horse hair and dandruff showed a significantly higher degree of binding to specific IgE in the sera from the first group of patients t...
Leptospiral antibodies in domestic animals in Tyrol. Results are presented of a serological examination of 1,547 domestic animals (cattle, pig, sheep, horse, goat, dog, cat) from 9 Tyrolian districts (Austria), performed in order to disclose the incidence of leptospirosis. Completely significant titres were domonstrated by means of the MAL test in the serotypes icterohaemorrhagiae or copenhageni, sorex-jalna, bratislava, sejroe and saxkoebing. In addition, antibodies were confirmed against L. bataviae, L. pomona, L. tarassovi and L. bulgarica, but the titres were insignificant. Of the animals examined, 7.2% gave positive reactions in titres of 1...
The surgical treatment of fractures of the olecranon in the horse. Methods of treating fractures of the olecranon in the horse are reviewed. A further 4 cases are recorded in which the fracture was treated by open reduction and fixation with a heavy duty Venable's plate placed on the caudal aspect of the ulna. Three cases had an oblique fracture through the semilunar notch; this was complicated in one by a fracture of the lateral half of the radial head which resulted in subluxation of the radio-humeral joint. The fracture of the radial head was treated by open reduction and fixation with a lag screw. The fourth case had an oblique fracture of the olecranon j...
[Studies on the activity, properties and isoenzymes of acid phosphatase in the erythrocytes of swine, horse, dog, cat, duck and chicken]. Acid phosphatase of erythrocytes of several species was investigated, with three isozymes having been recorded from swine (three types), three (two types) from horse, four (one type) from dog, two (two types) from cat, two (three types) from duck, and two (one type) from fowl. The Michaelis constant of the enzyme varied between 3.5 and 5 X 10(-4) M for the species involved. The species, however, differed slightly for the optimum pH of the enzyme. The average enzymatic activities were (5.68 +/- 0.42 for dog, 4.46 +/- 1.0 for horse, 3.8 +/- 0.24 for swine, 3.72 for cat, 2.5 +/- 0.62 for duck, an...
N-acetylserine in horse muscle acylphosphatase. A ninhydrin-negative peptide fraction obtained from tryptic digest of carboxymethyl acylphosphatase was isolated by chromatography on a column of PA 28 Beckman resin and analysed for the amino acid composition. Degradation with carboxypeptidase B and A indicated that the sequence of this peptide was: X-Thr-Ala-Arg. The amino-terminal residue was identified as N-acetylserine by high voltage electrophoresis. It is therefore suggested that the sequence of the NH2-terminal portion of CM-acylphosphatase is N-acetyl-Ser-Thr-Ala-Arg. Digestion with carboxypeptidase A and B indicated also that the COO...
Cardiac monitoring during exercise tests in the horse. 1. Magnetic tape recording in preference to radio-telemetry. Different techniques for monitoring cardiac responses to exercise in the horse have been described and evaluated. For experimental work of this type in a normal training and racing environment, the electrode system described when used with a portable magnetic tape recording system provided the best means of obtaining useful and reproducible data.
[Activity of serum gonadotropins in pregnant zebras and mares]. Blood was collected from 28 zebra mare (Equus burchellia antiquorum) immediately after being shot in the Kruger National Park. The serum was separated within two hours after collection and then stored at -15 degrees C for later assay. Of these, thirteen selected samples were tested for gonadotrophic activity. The stage of pregnancy was determined from a foetal growth curve. Blood samples from pregnant horse mares were collected by venipuncture. Nine mares were sampled. Seven blood samples at different stages of pregnancy were collected from one mare, four from another and only one sample each ...
Oxygen affinity responses to 2,3-diphosphoglycerate, and methaemoglobin formation in horse and human haemoglobins. The oxygen affinities of horse and human haemoglobins were compared in the absence and presence of the allosteric effector 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG). Horse haemoglobin solutions showed significantly smaller responses to the presence of 2,3-DPG, and this difference may be due to different amino acid substitutions at position NA2(2)beta. Horse haemoglobin solutions from erythrocytes containing different ratios of the two different haemoglobin types showed similar oxygen affinities in the absence and presence of 2,3-DPG. Horse haemoglobins in solution were found to autoxidise to methaemogl...
[Plasma progesterone in mares showing oestrus during early pregnancy (author’s transl)]. Sixtyfour mares were examined 3 and 6 weeks after mating. Progesterone was measured in 22 mares 3 weeks after mating in order to see if this could be of any help in the oestrous diagnosis. None of the pregnant mares had plasma progesterone below 2 ng/ml. Pregnant mares that did not show oestrus had higher levels of plasma progesterone than pregnant mares showing signs of oestrus 3 weeks after mating. Clinical findings in pregnant and nonpregnant mares 3 weeks after mating is compared, and oestrus in pregnant mares is discussed.
[Estimation of the concentration of urea in the blood of horses, cattle, goats and dogs using the “Merckognost Harnstoff” method compared with an enzymatic, photometric method (author’s transl)]. To examine the suitability and reliability in field use of the "Merckognost Harnstoff" method in estimating the concentration of urea in the blood of horses, cattle, goats and dogs, the levels determined by this procedure were compared with those determined by an enzymatic (urease) photometric method widely used in laboratories. It was concluded from the results obtained that estimation using the "Merckognost Harnstoff" is sufficiently reliable for the rapid assay of urea in the blood under field conditions.
Cardiopulmonary measurements in nonanesthetized, resting normal ponies. Cardiopulmonary measurements were determined in 19 nonanesthetized, normal ponies. Mean values for arterial pressure, pulmonary arterial pressure, cardiac output, heart rate, packed cell volume, and hemoglobin are reported, as well as acid-base determinations of arterial blood and cerebrospinal fluid. Respiratory function test data include total ventilation, respiratory rate, alveolar ventilation, oxygen uptake, and carbon dioxide output. The data compare favorably with the available data from previous reports on ponies. Because of large day-to-day variations in total ventilation, alveolar ven...
The equine practice laboratory. The authors discuss the value of a practice laboratory to the equine clinician and its priorities. Laboratory examinations of particular value are described in relation to their clinical application. The need to establish normal values according to laboratory and horse population is stressed. Tables of normal parameters related to age groups of horses in the authors' practice are presented.
Collection of cerebrospinal fluid from the horse. Methods for atlanto-occipital and lumbosacral collection of cerebrospinal fluid from the horse are described in detail, and the techniques and complications discussed.
Gonadal dysgenesis in the mare. Five phenotypically normal but infertile mares were studied; four had karyotypes of 63XO, and one was a 25,64XX/13,63XO mosaic. The mares exhibited small uteri and has small ovaries that lacked germ cells and consisted primarily of undifferentiated ovarian stroma. These cases demonstrate that chromosome analysis is an important technique for the diagnosis of some forms of equine infertility.
Oestrogens, LH, PMSG, and prolactin in serum of pregnant mares. Levels of oestrone, equilin and equilenin (E1), oestradiol (E2) LH, PMSG and prolactin were measured by radioimmunoassay in serum from pregnant mares. Levels of E1 were always greater than those of E2. Both E1 and E2 remained at low levels until Day 80, increased significantly (P less than 0-05) by Day 120 to reach peak levels at Day 210 or 240 and then declined until parturition. Maximum levels of oestrogens observed in this study were 828 +/- 151 pg/ml for E1 and 71 +/- 18 pg/ml for E2 at Days 210 and 240 respectively. Spikes of LH release were observed in early pregnancy in most mares. Leve...
Pelviscopy in the mare. A method of endoscopic examination of the internal genital (pelvic) organs of the mare is described. Special emphasis is placed on the induction of artificial pneumoperitoneum and the installation of an endoscopic peritoneal fistula device for prolonged observation. The potential of pelviscopy in the mare as a diagnostic aid, a new device for research in equine reproduction and as an auxillary aid to teaching is discussed.