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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.
Evaluation of six serological ELISA kits available in Italy as screening tests for equine infectious anaemia surveillance. ELISAs are known to have a higher diagnostic sensitivity than the agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) when employed for serological diagnosis of equine infectious anaemia (EIA). For this purpose, an "in-house" and five commercial ELISAs available in Italy were assessed by the National Reference Centre for EIA for their analytic specificity (Sp); precocity, defined as capability of detecting first antibodies produced during a new infection; precision based on repeatability and reproducibility, estimated from the coefficient of variation (CV); accuracy, estimated from multiple K and relative Sp and ...
The influence of age, antral follicle count and diestrous ovulations on estrous cycle characteristics of mares. Reproductive aging must be well understood to optimize the reproductive management of older mares and to predict their reproductive life-span. The objectives of this study were to: 1) examine age-related differences in follicular dynamics, endocrine profiles, and primordial follicle counts, 2) evaluate the influence of antral follicle count (AFC) on age-related changes in follicular parameters, and 3) determine the influence of diestrous ovulations on the estrous cycle. Young (3-8yr; n = 10), middle-aged (9-18 yr; n = 16), and old (>18 yr; n = 19) light horse mares were examined wit...
Building an Oral Endoscope for Use in Equine Oral Examination and Treatment. The use of oral endoscopy can be very beneficial in that it helps the clinician to perform a more thorough oral examination. However, due to the high cost, most commercially available equine oral endoscopy systems have been out of reach for clinicians who practice equine dentistry outside a large hospital setting. This article details how to set up an oral endoscopy system that can be used on equine patients either in an ambulatory practice or in a hospital setting. The system is more cost-effective than most other systems currently on the market without sacrificing functionality or image qual...
Validated LC-MS-MS Method for Simultaneous Analysis of 17 Barbiturates in Horse Plasma for Doping Control. A rapid and sensitive method for simultaneous screening, quantification and confirmation of 17 barbiturates in horse plasma using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry is described. Analytes were recovered from plasma by liquid-liquid extraction using methyl tert-butyl ether, separated on a C18 column, and analyzed in negative electrospray ionization mode. Multiple-reaction monitoring was employed for screening and quantification. Confirmation for the presence of the analytes was achieved by comparing ion intensity ratio. The ranges for limits of detection, quantification and confirma...
Evaluation of circulating miRNAs during late pregnancy in the mare. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNAs which are produced throughout the body. Individual tissues tend to have a specific expression profile and excrete many of these miRNAs into circulation. These circulating miRNAs may be diagnostically valuable biomarkers for assessing the presence of disease while minimizing invasive testing. In women, numerous circulating miRNAs have been identified which change significantly during pregnancy-related complications (e.g. chorioamnionitis, eclampsia, recurrent pregnancy loss); however, no prior work has been done in this area in the horse. To identif...
Genomewide association study reveals a risk locus for equine metabolic syndrome in the Arabian horse. Equine obesity can cause life-threatening secondary chronic conditions, similar to those in humans and other animal species. Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS), primarily characterized by hyperinsulinemia, is often present in obese horses and ponies. Due to clinical similarities to conditions such as pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (formerly equine Cushing's disease), conclusive diagnosis of EMS often proves challenging. Aside from changes in diet and exercise, few targeted treatments are available for EMS, emphasizing the need for early identification of at-risk individuals to enable imple...
Maxillary nerve blocks in horses: an experimental comparison of surface landmark and ultrasound-guided techniques. The aim of this preliminary proof-of-concept study was to evaluate and compare the success and complication rate of infiltration of the maxillary nerve of cadaver heads using previously described surface landmarks, standard ultrasound and a novel needle guidance positioning ultrasound system (SonixGPS). Methods: Prospective, anatomical, method-comparison study. Methods: Thirty-eight equine cadaver heads. Methods: Twenty-six veterinary students performed the three methods consecutively on cadaver heads using an 18 gauge, 8.9 cm spinal needle and 0.5 mL iodinated contrast medium. Computed tomog...
Challenges in detecting substances for equine anti-doping. The artificial increase of the physical capability of horses using drugs is well known in racing and other equine sports. Both illicit and therapeutic substances are regarded as prohibited substances in competition in most countries. Some countries make distinctions for a few, specific drugs which are, however, allowed for use in other countries. The primary objective in the case of doping control is the detection of any trace of drug exposure, either parent drug or any of its metabolites, using the most powerful analytical methods which are generally based on chromatographic/mass spectrometri...
Anoplocephala sp. (Cestoda, Cyclophyllidea) infection in horses in Central Italy. Species of Anoplocephalidae are cestodes affecting equines worldwide and causing many intestinal disorders. Between October 2010 and September 2013, 284 faecal samples of horses originating from Lazio Region (Central Italy) were tested for the presence of Anoplocephala sp. eggs by a classic copromicroscopic technique. Data regarding pasture‑dependence/non dependence, age, and sex of the horses were also collected. Statistical analysis, aimed at detecting possible associations between these variables and Anoplocephala sp. prevalence, was performed. Anoplocephala sp. eggs were found in 13% of ...
[Congenital goiter in the neonatal foal. Two case reports. Zwei Fallberichte]. Two cases of an innate hyperplastic goiter in foals as well as the sonographic evaluation of the hyperplastic gland are presented. One foal displayed skeletal deformities in the form of a mandibular prognathism and forelimb contractures in addition to the swollen thyroid gland. Because of a poor prognosis, the animal was euthanized. The second foal was premature and displayed respiratory signs. Under symptomatic therapy, the goiter regressed within a few weeks.
Comparison and validation of ELISA assays for plasma insulin-like growth factor-1 in the horse. Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) plays several important physiological roles, and IGF-related pathways have been implicated in developmental osteochondral disease and endocrinopathic laminitis. This factor is also a downstream marker of growth hormone activity and its peptide mimetics. Unfortunately, previously used assays for measuring equine IGF-1 (radioimmunoassays and ELISAs) are no longer commercially available, and many of the kits on the market give poor results when used on horse samples. The aim of the present study was to compare three different ELISA assays (two human and one ho...
Radiological anatomy of distal phalanx of front foot in the pure Iranian Arabian horse. Among the different breeds of horses, Asil horses with a five thousand year history have played an important role in human life. This study was designed as a result of the lack of information about the normal radiographic anatomy of this breed. Methods: Radiography of the distal phalanx and associated soft tissue structures of the front feet of 10 healthy pure Iranian Arabian horses was performed on lateromedial radiographic projection to determine normal radiographic morphometry of this part. There were no problems in their limbs and in their history. Results: Obtained radiograph of each fron...
Algometry to measure pain threshold in the horse’s back – An in vivo and in vitro study. The aim of this study was to provide information on algometric transmission of pressure through the dorsal thoracolumbar tissues of the equine back. Using a commercially available algometer, measurements were carried out with six different tips (hemispheric and cylindrical surfaces, contact areas 0.5 cm2, 1 cm2, and 2 cm2). In nine live horses the threshold of pressure that lead to any reaction was documented. In postmortem specimens of five euthanized horses the transmission of algometer pressure onto a pressure sensor placed underneath the dorsal thoracolumbar tissues at the level of the ...
New methods for isolation of keratolytic bacteria inducing intractable hoof wall cavity (Gidoh) in a horse; double screening procedures of the horn powder agar-translucency test and horn zymography. To establish a new system to isolate keratolytic bacteria from the hoof wall cavity () of a racehorse, we invented the horn powder agar-translucency (HoPAT) test and horn zymography (HZ). Using routine bacteriological techniques and these methods, we isolated five strains of keratolytic soil bacteria, which were then identified by means of 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing analysis. The findings from the study on the horse suggested that Brevibacterium luteolum played the main role in the local fragility of the hoof, eventually forming a in coordination with four other strains of kerat...
Occurrence and molecular characteristics of ESBL/AmpC-producing Escherichia coli in faecal samples from horses in an equine clinic. To investigate the occurrence and characteristics of ESBL/AmpC-producing Escherichia coli in faecal samples from horses at one equine clinic in the Netherlands. A total of 91 horses, including residents and patients, were sampled. ESBL/AmpC-producing E. coli were identified by a combination disc diffusion test. Phylogenetic groups and MLST were determined. ESBL/AmpC genes were analysed using PCR and sequencing. Plasmids were characterized by transformation and PCR-based replicon typing. Subtyping of plasmids was done by plasmid MLST. At least one E. coli isolate with a confirmed ESBL/AmpC gene...
Comparison of nasopharyngeal and guttural pouch specimens to determine the optimal sampling site to detect Streptococcus equi subsp equi carriers by DNA amplification. Streptococcus equi subsp equi (S. equi) is the cause of "equine strangles" which is a highly infectious upper respiratory disease. Detection of S. equi is influenced by site of specimen collection, method of sampling, and type of diagnostic test that is performed. We hypothesized i) that a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay that targets the S. equi-specific eqbE gene would be more sensitive than a realtime PCR assay that targets the S. equi-specific seeI gene and ii) that LAMP of specimens obtained by guttural pouch lavage (GPL) would be more sensitive than LAMP of nasopharyng...
Treatment of subchondral lucencies in the medial proximal radius with a bone screw in 8 horses. To describe the results of screw placement through subchondral lucencies (SCL) of the proximal radius in 8 horses. Methods: Retrospective clinical study. Methods: Horses with cubital SCL causing lameness (n=8). Methods: Medical record review and clinical follow-up. Results: Eight horses with SCL in the proximal radius causing lameness were treated with a screw placed across the lucency. The horses range in age from 1 to 20 years. In 4 of 8 horses, the lameness had been intermittently severe (apparent at the walk). Lameness was isolated to the cubital joint by intra-articular anesthesia in 5 ho...
Dynamics of African horse sickness virus nucleic acid and antibody in horses following immunization with a commercial polyvalent live attenuated vaccine. African horse sickness (AHS) is a fatal disease of equids relevant to the global equine industry. Detection of AHS virus (AHSV) during outbreaks has become more rapid and efficient with the advent of group specific reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (GS RT-qPCR) assays to detect AHSV nucleic acid. Use of GS RT-qPCR together with recently described type specific (TS RT-qPCR) assays cannot only expedite diagnosis of AHS but also facilitate further evaluation of the dynamics of AHSV infection in the equine host. A potential limitation to the application of these assays i...
Parelaphostrongylus tenuis Cerebrospinal Nematodiasis in a Horse with Cervical Scoliosis and Meningomyelitis. There are reports of horses with acute onset acquired cervical scoliosis and cutaneous analgesia. The underlying dorsal gray column myelitis that produces these neurologic signs has been only presumptively attributed to migration of Parelaphostrongylus tenuis within the spinal cord. Despite previous confirmation brain by polymerase chain reaction testing, of P. tenuis within the brain of horses by polymerase chain reaction testing, genetic testing has failed to definitively identify the presence of this parasite in cases of equine myelitis. This case report provides molecular confirmation via ...
Deep sequencing and variant analysis of an Italian pathogenic field strain of equine infectious anaemia virus. Equine infectious anaemia virus (EIAV) is a lentivirus with an almost worldwide distribution that causes persistent infections in equids. Technical limitations have restricted genetic analysis of EIAV field isolates predominantly to gag sequences resulting in very little published information concerning the extent of inter-strain variation in pol, env and the three ancillary open reading frames (ORFs). Here, we describe the use of long-range PCR in conjunction with next-generation sequencing (NGS) for rapid molecular characterization of all viral ORFs and known transcription factor binding mot...
Diagnostic accuracy of blood sucrose as a screening test for equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) in adult horses. Equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) is common in adult horses, particularly those involved in performance disciplines. Currently, detection of EGUS by gastroscopy is the only reliable ante mortem method for definitive diagnosis; however it is unsuitable as a screening test because it is expensive, time consuming, and is not readily available to most veterinarians. Sucrose permeability testing represents a simple, economical alternative to gastroscopy for screening purposes, and the feasibility of this approach in the horse has been previously reported. The aim of this study was to determine t...
Evaluation of equine oocyte developmental competence using polarized light microscopy. The purpose of this study was to observe -matured equine oocytes with an objective computerized technique that involves the use of a polarized light microscope (PLM) in addition to the subjective morphological evaluation obtained using a classic light microscope (LM). Equine cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs, = 922) were subjected to different maturation times (24, 36 or 45 h), however, only 36-h matured oocytes were analyzed using CLM. The 36-h matured oocytes that reached maturity were parthenogenetically activated to evaluate the quality and meiotic competence. Average maturation perce...
Injuries of the Sagittal Groove of the Proximal Phalanx in Warmblood Horses Detected with Low-Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging: 19 Cases (2007-2016) Sagittal groove injuries of the proximal phalanx are an important cause of lameness in performance horses. The purpose of this retrospective case series study was to describe standing low-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics of these injuries in a group of Warmblood horses. Horses with an MRI diagnosis of sagittal groove injuries involving the proximal phalanx and that had follow-up MRI and clinical outcome information were included. Findings from clinical examinations, diagnostic tests, and other imaging modalities were recorded. All MRI studies were retrieved for re-evaluat...
Occurrence and Genetic Characteristics of Cryptosporidium hominis and Cryptosporidium andersoni in Horses from Southwestern China. A total of 333 fecal specimens from horses in southwestern China were genotyped based on analysis of the small subunit rRNA (SSU rRNA) gene. Cryptosporidium hominis and Cryptosporidium andersoni were identified in 2 and 4 stool specimens, respectively. The identification of C. hominis was confirmed by sequence analysis of the 70-kDa heat shock protein (HSP70) and oocyst wall protein (COWP) genes. Subtyping analysis of the 60-kDa glycoprotein (GP60) gene sequence of C. hominis revealed a new rare subtype Id, named IdA15; only three Id isolates have been reported in humans to date. Multilocus ...
Effects of sedation and salbutamol administration on hyperpnoea and tidal breathing spirometry in healthy horses. Sedation is often required to perform pulmonary function testing (PFT) in horses, but drug effects may influence respiratory function. The current study was designed to characterise the effects of sedation and bronchodilator administration on absolute and relative indices of pulmonary function during eupnoeic respiration and carbon dioxide-induced hyperpnoea (rebreathing) in healthy horses using a pneumotachographic spirometry system. Sedation with acetylpromazine (ACP), xylazine, or both drugs in combination was associated with significant reductions in respiratory frequency, minute ventilati...
Alterations in Intestinal Permeability: The Role of the “Leaky Gut” in Health and Disease. All species, including horses, suffer from alterations that increase intestinal permeability. These alterations, also known as "leaky gut," may lead to severe disease as the normal intestinal barrier becomes compromised and can no longer protect against harmful luminal contents including microbial toxins and pathogens. Leaky gut results from a variety of conditions including physical stressors, decreased blood flow to the intestine, inflammatory disease, and pathogenic infections, among others. Several testing methods exist to diagnose these alterations in both a clinical and research setting....
Isolation and molecular characterisation of Halicephalobus gingivalis in the brain of a horse in Piedmont, Italy. A fatal case of meningoencephalitis was reported in a 13-year-old Koninklijk Warmbloed Paard Nederland stallion, suspected of West Nile virus (WNV) infection, in the Piedmont region of Italy. Clinical signs included right head tilt and circling, depression alternated with excitability, fever and lateral strabismus. Combined treatment consisting of dimethylsulfoxide, dexamethasone, sulphonamides and sedative was administered, but because of the poor conditions the horse was euthanatized and submitted for necropsy. At post-mortem examination no skin lesions were observed, all organs appeared nor...
A tall rostral hook in a medieval horse premolar tooth. Development of dental abnormalities due to improper occlusal wear is common among modern domestic horses. This phenomenon often is attributed to jaw conformation. Rostral mandibular hooks may develop in horses with underjet or mandibular prognathism, a condition where the lower jaw protrudes forward, beyond the upper jaw. Less abrasive diet, free of phytoliths and matrix-like plant fibers, also may promote enamel and focal overgrowths of equine dentition. Here we report a rostral mandibular hook in a lower premolar tooth of a medieval horse, found in a spring deposit in Levänluhta, Osthroboth...
Comparison of Thoracic Ultrasonography and Radiography for the Detection of Induced Small Volume Pneumothorax in the Horse. Small volume pneumothorax can be challenging to diagnose in horses. The current standard method for diagnosis is standing thoracic radiography. We hypothesized that thoracic ultrasonography would be more sensitive. Objectives of this prospective, experimental study were to describe a thoracic ultrasound method for detection of small volume pneumothorax in horses and to compare results of radiography and ultrasound in a sample of horses with induced small volume pneumothorax. Six mature healthy horses were recruited for this study. For each horse, five 50 ml air boluses were sequentially introd...
