Disease diagnosis in horses involves the identification and characterization of illnesses through various diagnostic methods and tools. This process is essential for effective veterinary care and management of equine health. Techniques used in diagnosing diseases in horses include clinical examinations, laboratory tests, imaging modalities such as ultrasonography and radiography, and molecular diagnostics. Blood tests are frequently utilized to assess parameters such as complete blood count and biochemical profiles, which can indicate underlying health issues. Additionally, advancements in genetic testing and biomarker identification have enhanced the ability to detect specific diseases early. This page aggregates peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore diagnostic methodologies, their applications, and their impact on equine health management.
Ross SE, Duz M, Rendle DI.Antimicrobial stewardship within the veterinary profession is recognised by governing and professional bodies as being important; the attitudes and behaviour of veterinary surgeons merit investigation. Objective: To investigate levels of protected antimicrobial use and accuracy of antimicrobial dosing in a common clinical scenario in equine practice. Methods: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: Antimicrobial use was evaluated retrospectively in 113 cases subsequently referred to a single referral hospital for the treatment of limb wounds over a 20-month period. Antimicrobial classification (f...
Rose BV, Cabrera-Sharp V, Firth MJ, Barrelet FE, Bate S, Cameron IJ, Crabtree JR, Crowhurst J, McGladdery AJ, Neal H, Pynn J, Pynn OD, Smith C....Early pregnancy loss occurs in 6-10% of equine pregnancies making it the main cause of reproductive wastage. Despite this, reasons for the losses are known in only 16% of cases. Lack of viable conceptus material has inhibited investigations of many potential genetic and pathological causes. We present a method for isolating and culturing placental cells from failed early equine pregnancies. Trophoblast cells from 18/30 (60%) failed equine pregnancies of gestational ages 14-65 days were successfully cultured in three different media, with the greatest growth achieved for cells cultured in Amnio...
Dominguez M, Münstermann S, de Guindos I, Timoney P.An analysis of the factors leading to equine disease events was used to support the development of international recommendations for mitigating the risk of disease dissemination through sport horse movements (high health, high performance - 'HHP' horses). Objective: A review was undertaken to identify the factors resulting in equine disease events following international movement of horses to draw lessons in support of the development of international recommendations for the safe movements of a specific subpopulation of horses: the HHP sport horses. Methods: Systematic review carried out in ac...
Cohen ND, Giguère S, Burton AJ, Rocha JN, Berghaus LJ, Brake CN, Bordin AI, Coleman MC.Adverse effects of, and bacterial resistance to, macrolides used to treat Rhodococcus equi infections have prompted search for clinically effective alternative antimicrobials. Liposomal gentamicin (LG) is effective against R. equi in vitro and decreases tissue concentrations of R. equi in experimentally infected mice. Effectiveness of LG treatment of foals with R. equi pneumonia, however, has not been described. Objective: Liposomal gentamicin is safe and effective for treating foals with R. equi pneumonia. Methods: Ten foals with experimentally induced R. equi pneumonia. Methods: Pilot treatm...
Back H, Berndtsson LT, Gröndahl G, Ståhl K, Pringle J, Zohari S.Equine Influenza Virus (EIV) is a major cause of respiratory disease in horses and the virus constantly undergoes antigenic drift. Here we characterize and describe the HA1 and the NA genes of H3N8 within samples obtained from outbreaks in Sweden during November-December 2011. Both clade 1 and clade 2 viruses of the Florida sublineage were identified. The index case of clade 2 was transported to Sweden from Spain through the Netherlands, whereas the clade 1 had its origin from a Swedish stud farm. The clade 1 virus was efficiently spread between training yards by unvaccinated young horses, but...
McKenzie RK, Hill FI, Habyarimana JA, Boemer F, Votion DM.During April and May 2014 four horses aged between 5 months and 9 years, located in the Canterbury, Marlborough and Southland regions, presented with a variety of clinical signs including recumbency, stiffness, lethargy, dehydration, depression, and myoglobinuria suggestive of acute muscle damage. Two horses were subjected to euthanasia and two recovered. In all cases seeds of sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus) or box elder (A. negundo) were present in the area where the horse had been grazing. Unassigned: The samaras (seeds) of some Acer spp. may contain hypoglycin A, that has been associat...
Bauquier JR, Forbes G, Nath L, Tudor E, Bailey SR.Acute gastrointestinal disease occurs commonly in horses. Novel biomarkers might improve the understanding of SIRS and aid diagnosis and determination of prognosis. Objective: Increased plasma concentrations of the biomarkers HMGB-1 and nucleosomes are associated with severity of gastrointestinal lesions in horses; concentrations of these biomarkers will be greater in horses with lesions more likely to cause SIRS; and will provide additional information compared with standard biomarkers fibrinogen and SAA. Methods: Thirty horses with gastrointestinal disease, 22 healthy horses. Methods: Prospe...
Boyle AG, Rankin SC, D￮ L, Boston RC, Wheeler-Aceto H.Bacterial culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays for the detection of Streptococcus equi in nasopharyngeal washes (NPW) and guttural pouch lavage (GPL) samples have low sensitivity. In human diagnostics, processing of samples with flocked swabs has improved recovery rates of bacterial agents because of improved surface area and elution factors. Objective: For S. equi subsp. equi (S. equi) detection in NPW and GPL samples we hypothesized that: direct-PCR would be more reliable than flocked swab culture (FS culture); flocked swab PCR (FS-PCR) would be equivalent to direct-PCR; and FS...
Ellerbrock R, Canisso I, Feijo L, Lima F, Shipley C, Kline K.Urospermia is known to affect semen quality in many mammals, including stallions. Determinations of semen pH and creatinine and urea concentrations have been used to diagnose urine contamination in raw stallion semen. Unfortunately, practitioners suspecting urine contamination in cooled-shipped samples have no proven means to confirm the presence of urine. Therefore, the objectives of this study were (1) to assess the effects of urine contamination on sperm motility of extended fresh and cooled-stored stallion semen, (2) to evaluate the usefulness of semen color, odor, pH, and creatinine and u...
Velineni S, Timoney JF, Artiushin SC, Donahue JM, Steinman M.Foals of mares infected with Leptospira interrogans serovar Pomona type kennewicki (Lk) may be aborted/stillborn or delivered as healthy foals. Is fetal survival explained in part by the immune response of the fetus to Leptospira antigens? Objective: To describe an outbreak of Leptospira abortion in which infected mares delivered dead/sick or normal foals and determine specificities of antibody in a collection of 54 fetuses from similar outbreaks. Methods: Outbreak investigation in combination with a case-control study of a larger set of samples from aborted fetuses. Methods: Serology and poly...
Carlson N, Eastman T, Winfield L.This study evaluated outcomes of surgical treatment of equine sialolithiasis, highlighting cases involving the proximal parotid salivary duct. Sialoliths in the proximal parotid duct were difficult to identify radiographically and more frequently associated with draining tracts and sialadenitis compared with sialoliths in the distal parotid duct. Ultrasonography confirmed the diagnosis of sialolithiasis in all cases in which there was no radiographic evidence of a sialolith. All cases of proximal parotid duct sialolithiasis required transcutaneous removal. A longer duration of illness was obse...
Elvander M, Persson B, Sternberg Lewerin S.As in most European countries, anthrax was common in Swedish livestock during the centuries leading up to the mid-twentieth century. After 1957, the disease was regarded as practically extinct. However, in the past 7 years, three outbreaks have caused public alarm because of the risk of environmental contamination. Properly buried carcasses should present little risk of spore contamination, and instructions were in place to ensure this since the 1890s. However, as has been demonstrated in recent outbreaks, carcasses were not always adequately buried and viable spores may remain in some sites....
Suske A, Pöschke A, Müller P, Wöber S, Staszyk C.Incomplete cemental filling of the infundibula of equine maxillary cheek teeth (CT) is a common feature. Depending on the extent of the defect, three stages of infundibular decay have been suggested. However, histomorphological criteria to identify non-pathological abnormalities and destructive changes have not been defined. Six hundred and eighty eight CT with no evidence of dental diseases and 55 diseased permanent, fully erupted maxillary CT were evaluated on a macroscopic level by assessing the occlusal surface and horizontal sections, including porphyrin assays to detect residual blood wi...
McGorum BC, Pirie RS, Shaw D, Macintyre N, Cox A.Diagnosis of equine grass sickness (EGS) can be challenging. We hypothesised that subgemmal plexus neurons are chromatolytic in EGS. If correct, histopathological examination of gustatory papillae biopsies could aid premortem diagnosis of EGS, and EGS could represent a spontaneous model of subgemmal neuronal chromatolysis to facilitate study of the pathology of structures involved in taste. Objective: To compare subgemmal plexi and gustatory papillae in EGS and control horses. Methods: Observational study. Methods: Conventional histology and immunohistochemistry were used to compare subgemmal ...
Guignot F, Reigner F, Perreau C, Tartarin P, Babilliot JM, Bed'hom B, Vidament M, Mermillod P, Duchamp G.Preimplantation genetic diagnosis and embryo cryopreservation are important tools to improve genetic management in equine species with marked consequences on the economic value, health, biodiversity, and preservation of the animals. This study aimed to develop a biopsy method at the blastocyst stage that provides viable genotyped cryopreserved Welsh pony embryos. Embryos were collected at d 6.75 to 7 after ovulation. Biopsies were performed with either a microblade or a micropipette. After biopsy, embryos were cryopreserved. The survival rate of biopsied embryos was evaluated on fresh and cryo...
Mill G.Official Veterinarians (OVs) from across the U.K. came together recently at conference organised to provide targeted CPD for their particular roles. With the theme of 'Reducing the impact of notifiable diseases in the UK', the meeting considered a wide range of topics, spanning large animal, small animal and equine issues. Georgina Mills reports on some of the sessions.
Omura CM, Drumond B, Rossi JL, Coelho CS, Gioso MA.Cephalometric studies are important to quantify abnormalities of jaw length and positioning. In this study, 4 to 7-month-old Quarter horse foals (n = 51) were examined to determine overjet (horizontal overlap) prevalence and measure the size of the physiological diastemata. Results were analyzed in relation to age, sex, and lineage. Another aim of this study was to develop a simple field technique for measuring incisor malocclusion and physiological diastemata dimensions that could be used to monitor the growth of the rostral components of maxilla, incisive bone, and mandible. The overall prev...
Stefańska I, Witkowski L, Rzewuska M, Dzieciątkowski T.Rhodococcus equi is the causative agent of rhodococcosis in horses, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality in foals. This bacterium has also been isolated from a variety of animals and is being increasingly reported as a cause of infection in humans, mainly in immunosuppressed individuals. Laboratory diagnostics of R. equi infections based only on conventional microbiological methods shows low accuracy and can lead to misidentification. The objective of the study was to develop and evaluate a real-time PCR assay for direct detection of R. equi in various clinical specimens, including...
Boudreaux MK, Koehler J, Habecker PL, Del Piero F.Exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) is a common disorder of equine athletes. The role of polymorphisms in genes encoding hemostasis-regulatory proteins in horses with abnormal hemorrhage is unknown. Objective: The goal of this study was to evaluate the genes encoding 2 ectonucleotidases, CD39/NTPDase-1 and CD39L1/NTPDase-2, and one ecto-5' nucleotidase, CD73, in horses with abnormal hemorrhage or pathologic changes consistent with EIPH. Methods: Twenty-three horses with histories of abnormal hemorrhage, 8 horses with gastrointestinal signs, and 45 healthy horses were evaluated using p...
Lee E, Kim EJ, Shin YK, Song JY.The avian influenza A virus causes respiratory infections in animal species. It can undergo genomic recombination with newly obtained genetic material through an interspecies transmission. However, the process is an unpredictable event, making it difficult to predict the emergence of a new pandemic virus and distinguish its origin, especially when the virus is the result of multiple infections. Therefore, identifying a novel influenza is entirely dependent on sequencing its whole genome. Occasionally, however, it can be time-consuming, costly, and labor-intensive when sequencing many influenza...
Lefebvre D, Hudson NP, Elce YA, Blikslager A, Divers TJ, Handel IG, Tremaine WH, Pirie RS.A recent survey of European Colleges (European College of Equine Internal Medicine [ECEIM] and European College of Veterinary Surgeons [ECVS]) revealed the different strategies implemented by, and some of the challenges facing, European clinicians presented with cases of post operative ileus (POI). It was concluded that further comparative analysis of opinions, canvassed from additional colleges of equine veterinary specialism worldwide, would provide valuable additional insight into current POI knowledge on a more global scale. Objective: To report and compare the current strategies favoured ...
Wysocka B, Kluciński W.The aim of the present study was to compare the grade of discharge accumulation in the tracheal lumen, area of tracheal bifurcation, main bronchi and the tracheal septum thickness with the cytology of the tracheal aspirate (TA) and broncho-alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in horses with recurrent airways obstruction and inflammatory airway disease from those horses. This study was conducted on 96 horses with RAO, 139 horses with IAD and 10 control horses. In all the horses, both clinical and endoscopic examinations were performed. During endoscopy, a score of mucus accumulation was estimated in 3/...
Best LJ, Hendrix DV, Ward DA.To evaluate the tear film osmolality and electrolyte composition in healthy horses. Methods: 15 healthy adult horses. Methods: Each horse was manually restrained, and an ophthalmic examination, which included slit-lamp biomicroscopy, indirect ophthalmoscopy, and a Schirmer tear test, was performed. Tear samples were collected from both eyes with microcapillary tubes 3 times at 5-minute intervals. The tear samples for each horse were pooled, and the osmolality and electrolyte concentrations were measured. The mean (SD) was calculated for each variable to establish preliminary guidelines for tea...
Masatani T, Takashima Y, Takasu M, Matsuu A, Amaya T.The present study is the first report that investigated the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in domestic horses in various prefectures of Japan and analyzed risk factors for seropositivity. We performed a latex agglutination test for riding/racing horses from 11 prefectures in Japan (783 samples) and 4 groups of Japanese native horses (254 samples). The total seroprevalence of anti-T. gondii antibody in horses examined in this study was 4.24% (44/1037). As for riding/racing horses, we did not find a statistically different T. gondii seroprevalence between sampling prefectures. In ...
Fielding CL, Magdesian KG.Sepsis and septic shock represent a major cause of morbidity and mortality in equine neonates and in all species. Early recognition of the condition is important, but definitive examination and laboratory variables to predict equine neonatal sepsis are lacking. Early and aggressive treatment should include broad-spectrum antimicrobial coverage, source control, and hemodynamic support. Field practitioners and intensive care clinicians work together in the management of this condition because the recognition and initial treatment should begin as early as possible.
Marr CM.The neonatal foal is in a transitional state from prenatal to postnatal circulation. Healthy newborn foals often have cardiac murmurs and dysrhythmias, which are usually transient and of little clinical significance. The neonatal foal is prone to infection and cardiac trauma. Echocardiography is the main tool used for valuation of the cardiovascular system. With prompt identification and appropriate action, dysrhythmias and other sequel to cardiac trauma can be corrected. With infection, the management and prognosis are driven by concurrent sepsis. Congenital disease represents an interesting ...
Lascola KM, Joslyn S.Diagnostic imaging plays an essential role in the diagnosis and monitoring of lower respiratory disease in neonatal foals. Radiography is most widely available to equine practitioners and is the primary modality that has been used for the characterization of respiratory disease in foals. Computed tomography imaging, although still limited in availability to the general practitioner, offers advantages over radiography and has been used diagnostically in neonatal foals with respiratory disease. Recognition of appropriate imaging protocols and patient-associated artifacts is critical for accurate...
Abbott JB, Mellor DJ, Barrett EJ, Proudman CJ, Love S.The serological changes in two groups of horses known to be harbouring Anoplocephala perfoliata were studied; 12 were treated with 1.5 mg/kg praziquantel and 200 microg/kg ivermectin, and 14 were treated with 200 microg/kg ivermectin. Serological and faecal analyses were carried out on each animal at intervals for 758 days. The titres of antibodies specific for A perfoliata decreased from the day of treatment to day 28 in both groups, and continued to decrease in the group treated with praziquantel and ivermectin, with the first significant decrease from the other group at day 121. From day 15...
Rols MP, Tamzali Y, Teissié J.Sarcoids are skin spontaneous tumours detected in horses. It can be cured by chemotherapy by using cisplatin. A multisequence treatment must be performed. Problems are present due to the poor diffusion of the hydrophilic product in the tumours. Electropulsation is known to drastically enhance the effect of antitumoral drugs in vivo. Taking into account the very successful results of the group in Ljubljana (Slovenia), we started a research clinical program where electropulsation was applied after local cisplatin injection. The size of sarcoids is large (several centimeters). A specially designe...
Pate DO, Clode AB, Olivry T, Cullen JM, Salmon JH, Gilger BC.To describe the immunopathologic characteristics of superficial stromal immune-mediated keratitis (IMMK) immunopathologically by characterizing cellular infiltrate in affected corneas of horses. Methods: 10 client-owned horses with IMMK. Methods: Immunohistochemical staining was performed on keratectomy samples with equine antibodies against the T-cell marker CD3 and B-cell marker CD79a (10 eyes) and the T-helper cytotoxic marker CD4 and T-cell cytotoxic marker CD8 (6 eyes). Percentage of positively stained cells was scored on a scale from 0 (no cells stained) to 4 (> 75% of cells stained)....
Burrows GE, Morton RJ, Fales WH.Gram-negative bacterial isolates (635) obtained from routine submissions to the Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory during 1983-1987 were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility. Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined for the following antimicrobials using commercially prepared microdilution assay materials: ampicillin, cephalothin, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, gentamicin, kanamycin, oxytetracycline, penicillin G, spectinomycin, sulfachlorpyridazine, sulfadimethoxine, and tylosin. Results for isolates from cattle, dogs, horses, and pigs are presented. In only a fe...
Metzger J, Gast AC, Schrimpf R, Rau J, Eikelberg D, Beineke A, Hellige M, Distl O.The Miniature Shetland pony represents a horse breed with an extremely small body size. Clinical examination of a dwarf Miniature Shetland pony revealed a lowered size at the withers, malformed skull and brachygnathia superior. Computed tomography (CT) showed a shortened maxilla and a cleft of the hard and soft palate which protruded into the nasal passage leading to breathing difficulties. Pathological examination confirmed these findings but did not reveal histopathological signs of premature ossification in limbs or cranial sutures. Whole-genome sequencing of this dwarf Miniature Shetland p...
Rings LM, Swink JM, Dunbar LK, Burns TA, Toribio RE.The enteroinsular axis (EIA) comprises intestinal factors (incretins) that stimulate insulin release after PO ingestion of nutrients. Glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) are the main incretins. The EIA has not been investigated in healthy neonatal foals but should be important because energy demands are high in healthy foals and dysregulation is frequent in sick foals. Objective: To evaluate the EIA response to carbohydrates or fasting in newborn foals. We hypothesized that incretin secretion would be higher after PO versus IV carbohydrate adm...
Kent JE, Goodall J.Serum haptoglobin was measured by immunoturbidity in Thoroughbreds stabled in three Newmarket yards for nine months. The mean serum haptoglobin value for horses housed in Stable 1 was 1.43 +/- 0.68 g/litre, similar to values in grazing adult ponies. The mean monthly haptoglobin values remained constant. For horses in Stable 2 there was an increase in serum haptoglobin values in June and July whereas, in Stable 3, the increases early in the training season were associated with an increase in serum viral titres. In equine serum, haptoglobin values estimated in g/litre by immunoturbidimetry were ...
Lorello O, Foster DL, Levine DG, Boyle A, Engiles J, Orsini JA.Equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis is an infrequent and underdiagnosed form of severe dental disease in horses that can affect quality of life. The study was performed to compare the clinical, radiographic, histological and prognostic findings specific to equine odontoclastic tooth resorption and hypercementosis in horses. Removal of affected teeth is currently the best treatment. Objective: The goals are to report salient clinical and histological features of the disease and its management in a case series describing an under-reported syndrome in horses and the long-ter...
Moore BR, Reed SM, Robertson JT.Seventy-three horses with cervical stenotic myelopathy underwent cervical vertebral interbody fusion (n = 63) or dorsal laminectomy (n = 10). Neurologic function improved in 77% of horses, and 46% of horses achieved athletic function (racing, race training, or pleasure riding) after cervical vertebral interbody fusion for static and dynamic spinal cord compressive lesions. Neurologic status improved in 4 of 10 horses after dorsal decompression for static compressive spinal cord lesions. The duration of clinical signs prior to surgical intervention was shorter for horses that achieved athletic ...
Soykan E, Oge H.This study was carried out between March 2004- April 2005 to determine the prevalance of liver trematode infections of equids in different cities of Turkey. Methods: A total of 117 equids (72 horses, 39 donkeys and 6 mules) in Ankara were examined for liver parasites after the slaugthering process. On the other hand, a total of 620 feces of horses in Bursa, Gemlik, Malatya, Eskişehir and Ankara provinces were detected for determining liver trematodes in live equines. The fecal samples of horses were examined for liver fluke infection by Benedect's sedimentation methods. Results: Of these 117 ...
Paillot R, Garrett D, Lopez-Alvarez MR, Birand I, Montesso F, Horspool L.Vaccination is one of the most effective tools for limiting the impact of equine influenza (EI). The humoral immunity established following a primary vaccination course can decrease significantly between the second (V2) and third immunisations (V3), leaving some horses insufficiently protected for several weeks. This so-called "immunity gap" poses a challenge to all EI vaccines. During this period, the EI infection of vaccinated animals may be followed by marked clinical signs and virus shedding. However, several EI vaccines have been shown to stimulate equine influenza virus (EIV)-specific ce...
Vychodilova L, Matiasovic J, Bobrova O, Futas J, Klumplerova M, Stejskalova K, Cvanova M, Janova E, Osickova J, Vyskocil M, Sedlinska M, Dusek L....Equine insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) is a seasonal IgE-mediated dermatosis caused by bites of insects of the genus Culicoides. A familial predisposition for the disease has been shown but, except for the MHC, the genes involved have not been identified so far. An immunogenomic analysis of IBH was performed in a model population of Old Kladruby horses, all living in the same environment. Clinical signs of IBH were used as phenotypic manifestation of IBH. Furthermore, total serum IgE levels were determined in the sera of these horses and used as an independent phenotypic marker for the immu...
Dell'Aquila ME, Masterson M, Maritato F, Hinrichs K.There is a great variability in the success of horse oocyte maturation and fertilization among laboratories. This study was conducted to determine if the meiotic and developmental competence of horse oocytes could be dependent on the method of oocyte collection, i.e., aspiration of follicular fluid with a vacuum apparatus, or opening follicles and scraping the granulosa layer. Horse oocytes were recovered from abattoir ovaries by aspiration or scraping and classified as having compact (Cp), expanded (Ex), or partial (P) cumuli. In Experiment 1 (Part A in May and Part B in October), oocytes wer...
Ziegler A, Marti E, Summerfield A, Baumann A.Dendritic cells (DC) are antigen-presenting cells that can be classified into three major cell subsets: conventional DC1 (cDC1), cDC2 and plasmacytoid DCs (pDC), none of which have been identified in horses. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify and characterize DC subsets in equine peripheral blood, emphasizing on pDC. Surface marker analysis allowed distinction of putative DC subsets, according to their differential expression of CADM-1 and MHC class II. Equine pDC were found to be Flt3(+) CD4(low) CD13(-) CD14(-) CD172a(-) CADM-1(-) MHCII(low). The weak expression of CD4 on...
Boliar S, Stanislawek W, Chambers TM.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...
Liuti T, Smith S, Dixon PM.Equine cheek teeth disorders, especially pulpar/apical infections, can have very serious consequences due to the frequent extension of infection to the supporting bones and/or adjacent paranasal sinuses. Limited studies have assessed the accuracy of computed tomographic (CT) imaging in the diagnosis of these disorders, and no study has directly compared imaging and pathological findings of the alveoli of diseased equine cheek teeth. Objective: To validate the accuracy of CT and radiographic imaging of cheek teeth disorders by comparing CT and radiographic imaging, gross and histological findin...
Ito S, Hobo S, Eto D, Sato H.To evaluate a hypothese that use of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) for early treatment of pneumonia would improve their prognosis by reducing bacterial numbers and excessive numbers of neutrophils in the lung, initial experiences with BAL in the diagnosis and treatment of pneumonia were performed in 36 racehorses that became ill within 24 hr of long distance travel (1,200-1,600 km, 26-32 hr) by road. Comparisons were made of the outcomes of the 36 horses and those of 42 horses (81.0% recovered, 50.0% returned to racing) treated for transport associated pneumonia without BAL. The total amount of ...
McGuire TC, Perryman LE, Davis WC.Nine monoclonal antibodies which reacted with equine immunoglobulin (Ig)M and not other equine Ig and serum proteins were prepared. Cells producing antibodies (C 1.9) which precipitated with IgM and bound to staphylococcal protein A were triple-cloned (C 1.9/3.2) and the antibodies further characterized. Monoclonal antibody C 1.9/3.2 reacted with an IgM determinant present on serum IgM from horses of several breeds. Studies with 125I-labeled IgM revealed the presence of this determinant on all IgM molecules. The monoclonal antibody enabled quantitation of IgM in presuckling foal and adult hors...
Steiss JE, Naylor JM.A three year old Quarter Horse stallion was presented with a one year history of episodes of generalized muscle tremors and stiffness, and spasm of the muscles of facial expression, lasting 10-15 minutes. Between attacks, the horse was either normal or had a localized muscle tremor in the flank region. Episodes appeared unrelated to exercise. The major abnormal findings included 1) a rise in plasma potassium from a resting level of 4.4 to 7.9 mmol/L during an attack and 2) electromyographic findings of generalized increased insertion activity and myotonic discharges. The horse was treated with...
Pirie RS, Dixon PM, McGorum BC.To investigate the relative importance of inhaled particulates and soluble components in the response to inhaled hay dust suspension (HDS), heaves (previously termed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; n = 7) and control (n = 6) horses were given inhalation challenges with whole and fractionated HDS. Fractionation was achieved by centrifugation to yield supernatant (SUP) and particulate debris. The particulates were then washed repeatedly in saline to produce a washed particulate (WP) fraction which comprised mainly fungal spores, and a wash fraction (WF) which comprised saline and soluble ...
Stewart HL, Siewerdsen JH, Nelson BB, Kawcak CE.Access to volumetric imaging modalities, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT), has increased over the past decade and has revolutionised the way clinicians evaluate equine anatomy. More recent advancements have resulted in the development of multiple commercially available cone-beam CT (CBCT) scanners for equine use. CBCT scanners modify the traditional fan-shaped beam of ionising radiation into a three-dimensional pyramidal- or cone-shaped beam of radiation. This modification enables the scanner to acquire sufficient data to create diagnostic images of a regio...
Rikihisa Y, Wada R, Reed SM, Yamamoto S.The role of the humoral immune response in ehrlichial infection is unknown. Development of neutralizing antibodies during a course of Ehrlichia risticii infection in a pony was examined in vitro by determining the inhibition of E. risticii infection of P388D1 cells in the presence of the sera. The pony experimentally infected with E. risticii developed significant neutralizing activity in the sera by 15 days postinfection when parasitemia started to decline. Neutralizing activity continued to rise after recovery from the disease up to 34 days postinfection at which time the experiment was term...
Nowacka-Woszuk J, Mackowski M, Stefaniuk-Szmukier M, Cieslak J.The equine graying with age causative mutation in the syntaxin-17 gene (STX17) has been known for over a decade, but proper genotyping of this variant remains challenging due to its molecular character (4.6-kb tandem duplication). Precise information on gray mutation status is important for horse breeders and veterinarians, since gray homozygous horses are more prone to developing aggressive melanoma tumors than heterozygotes. Since recent studies have confirmed that droplet digital PCR is a valuable technique for copy number analysis, we decided to investigate whether this method can be used ...
Cole FL, Hodgson DR, Reid SW, Mellor DJ.To establish the prevalence of health disorders reported by horse owners registered with veterinary practices in Australia. Methods: Mailed questionnaire-based study of horse owners in Australia conducted in 2001. Results: Data were obtained for 3901 horses belonging to 621 owners. The most prevalent health disorders were non-laminitic lameness (13.0%), skin disorders (6.1%) and behavioural disorders (4.5%). Prevalence of health disorders varied among different age, breed and sex categories within the study population, and disorders were more prevalent in male and older horses. Conclusions: Th...
Tuplin MC, Romero AE, Boysen SR.Intravascular volume assessment in foals is challenging. In humans, intravascular volume status is estimated by the caudal vena cava (CVC) collapsibility index (CVC-CI) defined as (CVC diameter at maximum expiration [CVC ] - CVC diameter at minimal inspiration [CVC ])/CVC × 100%. Objective: To determine whether the CVC could be sonographically measured in healthy foals, determine differences in CVC and CVC , and calculate inter- and intrarater variability between 2 examiners. We hypothesized that the CVC could be measured sonographically at the subxiphoid view and that there would be a differ...
Olley RB, Carslake HB, Ireland JL, McGowan CM.Fasting horses for measurement of basal serum insulin concentration (fasting insulin; FI) has been recommended to standardise testing for insulin dysregulation (ID), yet limited data exist comparing it to dynamic tests. This study aimed to compare FI with the combined glucose-insulin test (CGIT) in horses suspect for ID. We hypothesised that FI would have poor sensitivity for detecting ID compared to CGIT using conventional cut-offs. Records were retrieved from CGITs performed in horses fasted for approximately 8h. Serum insulin and glucose concentrations were measured before and for 150min fo...
Tennent-Brown B.Admission blood lactate concentration is widely used as a prognostic indicator in equine medicine and can be a useful indicator of disease severity but typically fails to completely discriminate survivors from nonsurvivors. Increased admission lactate concentrations in adult horses typically return to normal within 12 to 24 hours. Lactate concentrations in neonatal foals are higher than adult concentrations for the first 24 to 72 hours of life. Serial measures reflecting both the magnitude and duration of hyperlactatemia might enable more accurate prognostication and provide insight into dis...
Craigo JK, Barnes S, Zhang B, Cook SJ, Howe L, Issel CJ, Montelaro RC.Equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV), a lentivirus that infects horses, has been utilized as an animal model for the study of HIV. Furthermore, the disease associated with the equine lentivirus poses a significant challenge to veterinary medicine around the world. As with all lentiviruses, EIAV has been shown to have a high propensity for genomic sequence and antigenic variation, especially in its envelope (Env) proteins. Recent studies have demonstrated Env variation to be a major determinant of vaccine efficacy, emphasizing the importance of defining natural variation among field isolates o...
Venner M, Lauffs S, Deegen E.This study compared the study of a pectin-lecithin complex (Pronutrin) on gastric ulcer healing during an 11 day period in 2 groups of 12 horses each. Twenty-four horses suffering from gastric lesions of differing severity were selected from a larger group of clinical cases on the basis of gastroscopic examination. Both gastric mucosal erosions as well as gastric ulcers were found in the 2 mucosal regions (pars nonglandularis and pars glandularis). The gastric mucosal lesions occurred predominantly in the pars nonglandularis in the vicinity of the margo plicatus. The 24 horses were divided equ...
Brama PA, TeKoppele JM, Beekman B, van Weeren PR, Barneveld A.To investigate the influence of age, osteoarthritis (OA), and osteochondrosis (OC) on the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity in the synovial fluid (SF) of equine joints. Methods: SF was collected from normal and osteoarthritic metacarpophalangeal joints (normal: 14 adult, 28 juvenile; OA: 22 adult). And from normal and osteochondrotic tarsocrural joints (5 months: 11 normal, 8 OC; 11 months: 7 normal, 6 OC). Subsequently, overall MMP activity was measured. Results: The level of active MMPs was almost twofold higher in SF from juvenile horses (age up to 11 months) than in SF from mature an...
