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.
Arens AM, Puchalski SM, Whitcomb MB, Bell R, Gardner IA, Stover SM.To define scintigraphic, physical examination, and scapular ultrasonographic findings consistent with bone fragility syndrome (BFS) in horses; develop indices of BFS severity; and assess accuracy of physical examination, scapular ultrasonography, and serum biomarkers for BFS diagnosis. Methods: Prospective case-control study. Methods: 48 horses (20 horses with BFS and 28 control horses). Methods: Horses underwent forelimb scintigraphic evaluation, physical examination, scapular ultrasonography, and serum collection. Scintigraphy was used as a reference standard to which physical examination, s...
Jeske JM, Spier SJ, Whitcomb MB, Pusterla N, Gardner IA.To estimate likelihood ratios (LRs) of correctly identifying internal Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infection in horses by measurement of antibody titers via serum synergistic hemolysis inhibition (SHI) testing. Methods: Retrospective case-control study. Methods: 170 horses (171 records; 92 cases of C pseudotuberculosis infection and 79 controls). Methods: Medical records were reviewed, and horses were grouped on the basis of evidence of internal or external C pseudotuberculosis infection. The LRs and 95% confidence intervals for identification of internal C pseudotuberculosis infection b...
Kelmer G, Martin-Jimenez T, Saxton AM, Catasus C, Elliot SB, Lakritz J.There are no reported studies evaluating the use of erythromycin for regional limb perfusion (RLP) in horses. Our hypothesis was that using the cephalic and saphenous veins for RLP will enable delivery of therapeutic concentrations of erythromycin to the distal limb. Nineteen healthy horses participated in the study. The cephalic, saphenous or palmar digital (PD) vein was used to perfuse the limb with erythromycin. Synovial samples were collected from the metacarpo/metatarso-phalangeal (MCP/MTP) joint and blood samples were collected from the jugular vein. Maximum concentration (C(max)) of ery...
de Araújo Silva DO, Matis GK, Costa LF, Kitamura MA, de Carvalho Junior EV, de Moura Silva M, Barbosa BJ, Pereira CU, da Silva JC, Birbilis TA....To present the accumulated experience from treating chronic subdural hematomas (CSDH) in a local hospital of a third world country. Methods: One hundred and twenty-five consecutive patients with CSDH who were surgically treated in the Neurosurgical Department of the Hospital da Restauração, Recife-PE, Brazil, between January 2006 and May 2008, were retrospectively studied. Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) was employed to define outcome at 6 months as good (GOS 4 and 5) or poor (GOS ≤ 3). Age, admission Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), location of hematomas (unilateral/bilateral), drainage system place...
Schaffer PA, Wobeser B, Martin LE, Dennis MM, Duncan CG.To identify epidemiological trends in cutaneous neoplasms affecting equids in central North America and compare them with previously reported trends. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: 3,351 cutaneous biopsy specimens from 3,272 equids with a neoplastic diagnosis. Methods: Diagnostic reports from 2 diagnostic laboratories (Colorado State University and Prairie Diagnostic Services Inc) were reviewed for frequency of specific lesions and epidemiological trends. Variables included in analyses (if known) were age, sex, breed, geographic location, date of diagnosis, location of neoplasm o...
Szczepanik MP, Wilkołek PM, Pluta M, Adamek ŁR, Pomorski ZJ.The purpose of this study was to evaluate transepidermal water loss, skin hydration and skin pH in normal ponies. Sixteen ponies of both sexes were examined in the study. Measurements were taken from seven different sites: the neck region, the shoulder, thorax, lumbar, inguinal, lip region and the auricle. In each of the regions transepidermal water loss (TEWL), skin hydration and skin pH were measured. For transepidermal water loss, the lowest values were observed in the lumbar region (9.71g/hm2), while the highest values were observed in the lip region (22.35 g/hm2). In the case of skin hydr...
Olver CS, Nielsen VG.Carboxyheme and metheme states modulate hemostasis in humans and other species. Further, carbon monoxide and/or nitric oxide production increase in inflammatory disorders involving the gastrointestinal tract, with associated hypercoagulability or hypocoagulability. In particular, the horse suffers both thrombotic or coagulopathic complications during acute gastrointestinal disease. This investigation characterized the thrombelastographic response to carboxyheme (via CORM-2) or metheme (via phenylhydroxylamine, PHA) states without/with addition of tissue type plasminogen activator. Citrated pla...
Agrawal K, Ebel JG, Altier C, Bischoff K.The leaves of Acer rubrum (red maple), especially when wilted in the fall, cause severe oxidative damage to equine erythrocytes, leading to potentially fatal methemoglobinemia and hemolytic anemia. Gallic acid and tannins from A. rubrum leaves have been implicated as the toxic compounds responsible for red maple toxicosis, but the mechanism of action and toxic principle(s) have not been elucidated to date. In order to investigate further how red maple toxicosis occurs, aqueous solutions of gallic acid, tannic acid, and ground dried A. rubrum leaves were incubated with contents of equine ileum,...
Osińska E, Golke A, Słońska A, Cymerys J, Bańbura MW, Dzieciatkowski T.Equid herpesvirus type 2 (EHV-2) together with equid herpesvirus type 5 are members of Gammaherpesvirinae subfamily, genus Rhadinovirus. EHV-2 is one of major agents causing diseases of horses common worldwide. A possible role of EHV-2 in reactivating latent equid herpesvirus type-1 has been suggested, because reactivation of latent EHV-1 was always accompanied by EHV-2 replication. Variety techniques, including cell culture, PCR and its modifications, have been used to diagnose EHV-2 infections. The aim of this study was to develop, optimize and determine specificity of real-time PCR (qPCR) f...
Swadzba ME, Hauck SM, Naim HY, Amann B, Deeg CA.Complete knowledge of autoantigen spectra is crucial for understanding pathomechanisms of autoimmune diseases like equine recurrent uveitis (ERU), a spontaneous model for human autoimmune uveitis. While several ERU autoantigens were identified previously, no membrane protein was found so far. As there is a great overlap between glycoproteins and membrane proteins, the aim of this study was to test whether pre-enrichment of retinal glycoproteins by ConA affinity is an effective tool to detect autoantigen candidates among membrane proteins. In 1D Western blots, the glycoprotein preparation allow...
Diouf ND, Etter E, Lo MM, Lo M, Akakpo AJ.Since first being detected in Nigeria in January 2007, African horse sickness virus serotype 2 (AHSV-2) has spread throughout the northern hemisphere, and was first reported in Senegal. A retrospective study was conducted from December 2009 to April 2010 using data collected in the field combined with information available at the Direction of Veterinary Services. The epidemic started in the Dakar region with two outbreaks in March and June 2007, respectively, and spread in several parts of the country between July and November 2007. During this period, 232 outbreaks and 1137 horse deaths were ...
Setterbo JJ, Chau A, Fyhrie PB, Hubbard M, Upadhyaya SK, Symons JE, Stover SM.Racetrack surface is a risk factor for racehorse injuries and fatalities. Current research indicates that race surface mechanical properties may be influenced by material composition, moisture content, temperature, and maintenance. Race surface mechanical testing in a controlled laboratory setting would allow for objective evaluation of dynamic properties of surface and factors that affect surface behavior. Objective: To develop a method for reconstruction of race surfaces in the laboratory and validate the method by comparison with racetrack measurements of dynamic surface properties. Methods...
Kelleher ME, Brosnan RJ, Kass PH, le Jeune SS.To determine if preoperative physical examination and blood work values, intraoperative physiologic variables, and intraoperative treatments can be correlated with survival to anesthetic recovery and short-term survival to hospital discharge in horses that undergo exploratory celiotomy for large colon volvulus (LCV) with and without colon resection. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Horses (n = 156) undergoing exploratory celiotomy for correction of LCV ≥ 360(ο) . Methods: Medical records (January 2000-December 2009) of horses that had surgical correction of LCV ≥ 360(ο) were ...
Hansen S, Sun L, Baptiste KE, Fjeldborg J, Horohov DW.Diseases of the lower airways represent some of the most common conditions affecting horses of all ages, but the type and severity tends to follow the horses' age. The age-related dysregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines may, in part contribute to the development of the diseases. Therefore, we hypothesize that the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines increases with age. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cells from clinically healthy horses of different ages were used for the investigation. The cells were stimulated and the production of IFN-γ an...
Kinnunen PM, Palva A, Vaheri A, Vapalahti O.Borna disease virus (BDV) has gained lot of interest because of its zoonotic potential, ability to introduce cDNA of its RNA transcripts into host genomes, and ability to cause severe neurobehavioural diseases. Classical Borna disease is a progressive meningoencephalomyelitis in horses and sheep, known in central Europe for centuries. According to current knowledge, BDV or a close relative also infects several other species, including humans at least occasionally, in central Europe and elsewhere, but the existence of potential 'human Borna disease' with its suspected neuropsychiatric symptoms ...
Marqués FJ, Sharma A, Wilson DG.Advanced diagnostic imaging and histopathological investigation were performed in an adult horse with chronic facial swelling due to a bone sequestrum and abscessation. In contrast to other cases, there were no draining tracts, difficulty eating, weight loss, head shaking, or fistula formation between the oral cavity and the maxillary sinus. Une investigation d’imagerie diagnostique avancée et un examen histopathologique ont été réalisés chez un cheval adulte présentant de l’enflure faciale chronique attribuable à un séquestre osseux et à une abcédation. Par contraste à d’aut...
Panzani S, Castagnetti C, Prandi A, Faustini M, Zamboni A, Veronesi MC.Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I represents one of the most important growth regulators, playing a central role in fetal and neonatal growth. Plasma IGF-I levels increase rapidly after birth, and they are influenced by numerous factors, including sex, age, nutritional state, and premature birth. The aims of this study were: (1) to evaluate the IGF-I plasma profile in healthy newborn foals during the first 2 weeks of life; (2) to assess the possible influence of sex and birth weight on this hormone; (3) to analyze the percentage increment of IGF-I values in healthy foals; (4) to evaluate the ...
Findley JA, De Oliveira F, Bladon B.To determine typical clinical features associated with tears of the manica flexoria (MF) and prognosis for return to athletic function after surgical resection. Methods: Case series. Methods: Medical records (January 2001-December 2011) of horses that underwent tenoscopic surgical treatment of MF tears were reviewed and outcome obtained by telephone questionnaire of owners. Results: Fifty three horses (65 MF tears) were treated; 83% were cobs or ponies. Injuries occurred more frequently in hindlimbs (85%) and effusion of the digital flexor tendon sheath was associated with all MF tears. Follow...
Hart KA, Linnenkohl W, Mayer JR, House AM, Gold JR, Giguère S.Medical management of sand enteropathy is common in equine practice, but the clinical features and outcomes associated with medically managed sand enteropathy are not well described. Objective: To review clinical features, therapeutic approaches and outcomes associated with primary medical management of sand enteropathy in the mature horse. Methods: Medical record databases at 3 equine referral hospitals from January 2000 to April 2010 were reviewed for cases of sand enteropathy diagnosed via abdominal radiographs in mature horses that were initially managed medically. Data were collected and ...
Erridge ME, Cox AL, Dixon PM.Peripheral caries of equine cheek teeth is a poorly described disorder and, in particular little is known of its histopathology. Histological examinations of decalcified sections of 21 equine peripheral caries-affected cheek teeth showed two different patterns of cemental lesions; including progressive enlargement of focal, flask-like lesions leading to breakdown of the adjacent cementum, and secondly; a more generalized flaking-off of thin layers of under-run, surface cementum. A thick layer of plaque and food material usually lay on the surface of affected cementum and also within cemental d...
van Galen G, Cerri S, Porter S, Saegerman C, Lefere L, Roscher K, Marr C, Amory H, Votion DM.Descriptions of acid-base disturbances in atypical myopathy (AM) are limited. Objective: Describe and compare traditional and quantitative acid-base abnormalities and cardiovascular shock status in horses with AM at admission. Methods: 34 horses with AM, 15 healthy controls. Methods: Retrospective case-control study. Records were searched for shock variables (packed cell volume [PCV], blood urea nitrogen [BUN], heart and respiratory rate) and acid-base variables (venous blood gas analysis, electrolytes, total protein, lactate) on admission. Base excess (BE) of free water (BEfw), chloride (BEcl...
Puchalski SM.Advances in equine computed tomography have been made as a result of improvements in software and hardware and an increasing body of knowledge. Contrast media can be administered intravascularly or intrathecally. Contrast media is useful to differentiate between tissues of similar density. Equine computed tomography can be used for many different clinical conditions, including lameness diagnosis, fracture identification and characterization, preoperative planning, and characterization of skull diseases.
Werpy NM, Denoix JM.Injury to the suspensory ligament can result in significant lameness. Multiple imaging modalities may be required to fully characterize injury to the suspensory ligament. Ultrasonography of the suspensory ligament is challenging, due to the normal anatomy. This article describes imaging of the proximal suspensory ligament in the front and hind limbs of the horse.
Pease A.The use of molecular imaging of cartilage is the next vital step in understanding, treating, and training the equine athlete. Because of the logistics of precontrast and postcontrast medium imaging, the clinical usefulness of the examination has come into question. With the large number of horses undergoing high-field magnetic resonance imaging, the use of contrast medium administration and T1 mapping or T2 imaging precontrast and postcontrast medium administration may add a limited amount of time to the scan and has the potential to provide more detailed information about the chemical composi...
Winter MD.The usefulness of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in the diagnosis of equine lameness is unquestionable. As with most imaging modalities, advances in technology happen quickly, and the information that can be obtained can seem limitless. An understanding of MR sequences, expected signal intensity of normal tissues, and the role of multiplanar imaging is the foundation for interpreting MR images. The rapid development of new techniques and sequences and the potential for biochemical changes to be indirectly assessed using MR spectroscopy offer possibilities for the continued development of this...
Matthews AG.It is conservatively estimated that some form of lens opacity is present in 5% to 7% of horses with otherwise clinically normal eyes.These opacities can range from small epicapsular remnants of the fetal vasculature to dense and extensive cataract. A cataract is defined technically as any opacity or alteration in the optical homogeneity of the lens involving one or more of the following: anterior epithelium, capsule, cortex, or nucleus. In the horse, cataracts rarely involve the entire lens structure (ie, complete cataracts) and are more usually localized to one anatomic landmark or sector of ...
Lankveld DP, Ensink JM, van Dijk P, Klein WR.Thrombophlebitis is a well-known complication of the use of long-term in-dwelling catheters. In humans, catheter material has been shown to strongly influence the occurrence of thrombophlebitis. In the horse, the influence of catheter material has been studied in healthy experimental animals, but information on the relative importance of this factor is lacking. To investigate which factors have most impact on the frequency of jugular vein thrombosis in post-surgical colic horses, a clinical study was performed on 38 animals. Horses were randomly divided into two groups. In one group a polytetr...
Segabinazzi LGTM, Podico G, Rosser MF, Nanjappa SG, Alvarenga MA, Canisso IF.In light of PRP's increasing popularity in veterinary practice, this study aimed to compare three manual methods to prepare and cool equine PRP. The blood of 18 clinically healthy mares was collected via venipuncture in a blood transfusion bag (method 1), blood tubes (method 2), and a syringe (method 3). In method 1, samples were double centrifuged; method 2 involved one centrifugation, and in method 3 the syringe was kept in an upright position to sediment for 4 h. After processing with three methods, PRP and platelet-poor plasma (PPP) were extracted and assessed for red (RBC) and white blood...
Boscan P, Steffey EP.To assess the changes in colloid osmotic pressure (COP) in horses undergoing surgery for colic. Methods: Prospective clinical evaluation. Methods: Twenty-nine adult horses presented for emergency laparotomy. Methods: Horses were premedicated with intravenous (IV) xylazine and anesthesia was induced with ketamine, diazepam and guaifenesin and was maintained with isoflurane as required. Lactated Ringer's solution (LRS) was given to all horses during anesthesia. Blood was collected in heparin before, and every 30 minutes during, anesthesia to measure COP, total protein concentration (TP), osmolal...
Billinghurst RC, Buxton EM, Edwards MG, McGraw MS, McIlwraith CW.To develop an antibody that specifically recognizes collagenase-cleaved type-II collagen in equine articular cartilage. Methods: Cartilage specimens from horses euthanatized for problems unrelated to the musculoskeletal system. Methods: A peptide was synthesized representing the carboxy- (C-) terminus (neoepitope) of the equine type-II collagen fragment created by mammalian collagenases. This peptide was used to produce a polyclonal antibody, characterized by western analysis for reactivity to native and collagenase-cleaved equine collagens. The antibody was evaluated as an antineoepitope anti...
Camacho-Luna P, Buchanan B, Andrews FM.Equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) primarily describes ulceration in the terminal esophagus, nonglandular squamous mucosa, glandular mucosa of the stomach, and proximal duodenum. EGUS is common in all breeds and ages of horses and foals. This article focuses on the current terminology for EGUS, etiologies and pathogenesis for lesions in the nonglandular and glandular stomach, diagnosis, and a comprehensive approach to the treatment and prevention of EGUS in adult horses and foals.
Boswinkel M, Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM.The importance of Anoplocephala perfoliata in horses with colic was studied in 139 horses referred for colic and 139 control horses with no signs of colic for at least three years. The serodiagnostic method of Proudman and Trees, which measures the level of A. perfoliata antibody, was used to detect A. perfoliata infection. Thirty-two horses were examined at necropsy, to determine whether the presence of A. perfoliata in the ileocaecal region was associated with the A. perfoliata antibody level. The mean A. perfoliata antibody level was significantly higher in horses with colic than in horses ...
Takai S, Murata N, Kudo R, Narematsu N, Kakuda T, Sasaki Y, Tsubaki S.This report describes the discovery of two new virulence plasmid types from a crossbred foal with Rhodococcus equi pneumonia in Kumamoto died with severe R. equi pneumonia and ulcerative enteritis. R. equi was isolated in large numbers and isolates from the foal were investigated for the presence of virulence-associated 15-17 kDa antigens (VapA) by colony blotting, using the monoclonal antibody 10G5, and by gene coding for VapA by PCR. Plasmid DNAs extracted from the isolates were digested with restriction endonucleases BamHI, EcoRI, EcoT22I, and HindIII. The digestion patterns that resulted d...
Holl HM, Lear TL, Nolen-Walston RD, Slack J, Brooks SA.Chromosomal aberrations in the horse are known to cause congenital abnormalities, embryonic loss, and infertility. While diagnosed mainly by karyotyping and FISH in the horse, the use of SNP array comparative genome hybridization (SNP-CGH) is becoming increasingly common in human diagnostics. Normalized probe intensities and allelic ratios are used to detect changes in copy number genome-wide. Two horses with suspected chromosomal abnormalities and six horses with FISH-confirmed aberrant karyotypes were chosen for genotyping on the Equine SNP50 array. Karyotyping of the first horse indicated m...
Clarke AF, Madelin T.This paper describes and compares three techniques of categorisation of hay, straw and other feeds and beddings collected from stables. A hand-held sampler was used to categorise samples according to the presence of plant material, fungal spores and dust mites. An Andersen sampler was used to categorise samples according to the thermotolerances of fungi and actinomycetes. An aerodynamic particle sizer was used to categorise samples according to respirable particle release rates. The highest burden of respirable particles was associated with the presence of thermophilic and thermotolerant actin...
Vengust M, Staempfli H, Prescott JF.A 10-year-old warmblood gelding was evaluated for intermittent pyrexia, dullness, weight loss, and progressive respiratory disease. Multifocal necrotic pneumonia and pleuritis due to Rhodococcus equi infection was diagnosed. Case management is discussed, as well as factors that may have led to this rare cause of pleuropneumonia in an adult horse.
Woldemeskel M.A retrospective study of dermatophilosis was made in livestock (cattle, sheep, horses and goats) of Ethiopia under different situations. The disease was reported for the first time in sheep (8.5%), goats (3.14%) and horses (2.84%) from Ethiopia. The occurrence of the disease in cattle was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in wet (6%) than in dry (3.6%) season and in cross (26.9%) than local (3.2%) breeds. The highest prevalence (35%) was noted in cross breeds kept under poor management in the rainy season. The threat of dermatophilosis to animal production in Ethiopia is indicated. Environmen...
Sharp AJ, Wachtel SS, Benirschke K.The presence of significantly reduced levels of H-Y antigen in the blood of an XY mare is consistent with the view that H-Y genes comprise a system of testis determinants. Loss or suppression of a critical portion of H-Y genes and subthreshold expression of H-Y antigen could account for a failure of testicular differentiation, thereby allowing a measure of ovarian development in an XY embryo.
Seeber PA, Soilemetzidou SE, East ML, Walzer C, Greenwood AD.Direct collection of samples from wildlife can be difficult and sometimes impossible. Non-invasive remote sampling for the purpose of DNA extraction is a potential tool for monitoring the presence of wildlife at the individual level, and for identifying the pathogens shed by wildlife. Equine herpesviruses (EHV) are common pathogens of equids that can be fatal if transmitted to other mammals. Transmission usually occurs by nasal aerosol discharge from virus-shedding individuals. The aim of this study was to validate a simple, non-invasive method to track EHV shedding in zebras and to establish ...
Stokol T, Erb HN, De Wilde L, Tornquist SJ, Brooks M.Fibrin(ogen) degradation products (FDPs) and D-dimer are sensitive indicators of excessive fibrinolysis due to disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) in dogs. To the authors' knowledge, latex-agglutination-based plasma FDP and D-dimer assays have not been validated for use in horses. Objective: To determine: 1) sensitivity and specificity of latex agglutination serum and plasma FDP and D-dimer assays for diagnosis of DIC; and 2) their prognostic value in horses with severe colic. Methods: At hospital admission and 24 hours later, blood was collected from 30 healthy horses and 20 horses w...
Platt JP, Simon BT, Coleman M, Martinez EA, Lepiz MA, Watts AE.Although rare, 70% of equine fatalities during recovery from general anaesthesia (GA) are due to catastrophic fractures from poor recovery quality. Objective: To determine the effect of repeated GA recovery on GA recovery quality. Methods: Experimental blinded trial. Methods: Eight adult horses underwent six GA events on sevoflurane for distal limb MRI examination over a 14-week period. Prior to GA recovery, xylazine was administered. Randomly ordered video-recorded GA recoveries were scored by three blinded board certified veterinary anaesthesiologists, unaware of patient identity or GA event...
Farah AW, Hegazy NA, Romany MM, Soliman YA, Daoud AM.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...
Nollet H, Van Ham L, Verschooten F, Vanderstraeten G, Deprez P.To determine the usefulness of magnetic motor-evoked potentials (MMEPs) for assessing the integrity of the cervical, thoracic, and thoracolumbar spinal cord in horses with bilateral hind limb ataxia. Methods: 9 horses and 1 donkey with bilateral hind limb ataxia of various degrees. Methods: The motor cortex was stimulated magnetically, and MMEPs were recorded bilaterally from the extensor carpi radialis and cranial tibial muscles. Results: In 5 horses and 1 donkey, MMEPs with normal onset latencies and peak-to-peak amplitude were recorded from the extensor carpi radialis muscles, whereas abnor...
Marr CM, Reef VB, Reimer JM, Sweeney RW, Reid SW.Two-dimensional and M-mode echocardiograms were recorded from 41 horses before they were successfully treated for atrial fibrillation. In addition, these examinations were performed in a subgroup of 20 horses after treatment, and the results were compared with pretreatment values. Atrial fibrillation in this group of horses was associated with a reduction of mean left ventricular fractional shortening (mean 31% +/- 5.24%), and 22 of the 41 horses were below the reference range. The remaining mean M-mode variables were within the normal reference range, although 12 horses had increased left ven...
Wylie CE, Proudman CJ.Equine grass sickness (EGS) is recognized as a debilitating and predominantly fatal neurodegenerative disease affecting grazing equids. The gastrointestinal tract is the most severely affected body system, resulting in the main clinical signs of colic (acute grass sickness), weight loss, or dysphagia (chronic grass sickness). EGS predominantly occurs within Great Britain, although it is also recognized in regions of mainland Europe, and mainly affects young horses with access to pasture in the springtime. There is strong evidence of an association between EGS and the type C toxins produced by ...
Whitlock RH, Buckley C.Equine botulism is being recognized with increasing frequency by veterinarians throughout North America. Muscular weakness and dysphagia that progress during a period of 1 to 4 days, in the absence of laboratory derangements that indicate the presence of systemic disease, are suggestive of botulism. A tentative diagnosis usually is based on the presence of the following findings on physical examination: delayed pupillary light response, mydriasis, ptosis, generalized weakness, decreased tail tone, and slow prehension of feed. Definitive diagnosis requires detection of botulinum toxin in plasma...
Reeves MJ, Curtis CR, Salman MD, Stashak TS, Reif JS.A survey of 1,965 equine colic cases was conducted from August 1985 to July 1986 at 10 equine referral centers located throughout the United States. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a multivariable model for the need for surgery. Two-thirds of the cases were randomly selected for model development (1,336), whereas the remaining cases (629) were used only for subsequent validation of the model. If a lesion requiring surgical correction was found at either surgery or necropsy, the case for the horse was classified as surgical, otherwise the case was classified as medical. On...
Laverty S, Ionescu M, Marcoux M, Bouré L, Doizé B, Poole AR.The etiology and pathophysiology of osteochondrosis remain poorly understood because it is difficult to obtain material from lesions in the early stage of this disease and because there is no satisfactory experimental animal model. We wished to determine whether there are changes in articular cartilage turnover in equine osteochondrosis, which closely resembles the human disease, by assaying cartilage matrix molecules in synovial fluids. We used immunoassays that measure a keratan sulfate epitope and the epitope 846 on the cartilage proteoglycan aggrecan and the C-propeptide of cartilage type-...
Knottenbelt DC, Hetzel U, Roberts V.A 14-year-old gray gelding was presented for investigation of a visible, pale-colored ocular mass in the right eye. An intraocular mass was identified clinically and ultrasonographically as originating from the superior nasal quadrant of the ciliary body and retina. The mass occupied the majority of the vitreous chamber and some of the superior anterior chamber of the eye. The affected eye was blind. Following exenteration, a primary intraocular primitive neuroectodermal tumor (i.e. a retinoblastoma/medulloepithelioma), a rarely described intraocular mass in adult horses, was identified by pat...
