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.
Siedek EM, Honnah-Symns N, Fincham SC, Mayall S, Hamblin AS.Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) recognizing equine macrophages are scarce. The present study compared the immunocytochemical staining of various equine tissues (lymphoid tissue, lung, liver, small intestine, skin and blood leucocytes) by an antibody, Ki-M6, which detects CD68 in human macrophages and dendritic cells, and by a new anti-equine mAb, JB10, with staining produced by two previously described anti-equine macrophage mAbs, CZ2.2 and CZ3.3. Ki-M6 was shown to identify equine macrophages, which had a distribution different from those identified by CZ2.2 and CZ3.3. JB10 identified equine mac...
van Schie HT, Bakker EM, Jonker AM, van Weeren PR.To correlate quantitative analysis of ultrasonographic images of normal (injury-free) equine superficial digital flexor (SDF) tendons and equine SFD tendons that have pathologic changes with corresponding histologic sections. Methods: 4 SDF tendons, 2 of which had various stages of tissue integrity. The 2 ipsilateral tendons were used as points of reference. Methods: Tendons were mounted in a custom-made device that permitted sequential scanning, transversely and perpendicular to the tendon long axis. At precise steps of 0.5 mm, transverse ultrasonographic images were collected. Subsequently, ...
Anzai T, Walker JA, Blair MB, Chambers TM, Timoney JF.To determine whether streptococcal pneumonia is caused by strains of Streptococcus zooepidemicus similar to those obtained from the tonsils of healthy horses. Methods: 5 tonsils from healthy horses, 8 tracheal washes and 6 lung specimens from foals with pneumonia, and 5 nasopharyngeal swab specimens from donkeys with acute bronchopneumonia. Methods: Variable M-like protectively immunogenic SzP proteins of 5 isolates of S. zooepidemicus from each tonsil and clinical specimen were compared, using immunoblots. The SzP gene of 13 isolates representative of various SzP immunoblot phenotypes from 1 ...
Munroe G.Twenty-seven of 167 neonatal thoroughbred foals (16 per cent) were found to have retinal haemorrhages after a careful examination of the entire fundus. Experience in differentiating haemorrhages from other lesions, and the selection of foals from normal populations, were considered to have an important effect on their apparent incidence. Bilateral haemorrhages were more common and there was a significantly higher incidence in female foals. The numbers of haemorrhages ranged between one and 20; 36 per cent of eyes with retinal haemorrhages had the small punctate type and 56 per cent had the spl...
van der Kolk JH, Wensing T.The urinary corticoid:creatinine (c:c) ratio was determined in ten pony mares suffering from hyperlipoproteinaemia. The mean (+/- sd) urinary c:c ratio of these ten ponies (47 +/- 31 x 10(-6)) was not significantly different from that of twelve pony mares with a pituitary pars intermedia adenoma (31 +/- 18 x 10(-6). The correlation between the urinary concentration of corticoids and plasma total lipids, and the correlation between the urinary c:c ratio and plasma total lipids in ponies with hyperlipoproteinaemia were not significant (P > 0.05; r = 0.53 and r = 0.008, respectively). Preliminary...
Chapman PS, Green C, Main JP, Taylor PM, Cunningham FM, Cook AJ, Marr CM.A total of 1235 tracheal aspirates taken from 724 thoroughbreds in race training, aged from two to 10 years, were examined cytologically and bacteriologically. An inflammation scoring system on a scale of 0 to 9 was devised to allow the severity of lower airway disease to be assessed from the cytological results. The inflammation scores were closely related to the isolation of bacteria (P<0.001), and the most common bacterial isolates were Streptococcus zooepidemicus, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Pasteurella/Actinobacillus-like species. Lower airway disease was less common in older horses (...
Gruwell JA, Fogarty CL, Bennett SG, Challet GL, Vanderpool KS, Jozan M, Webb JP.In response to the 1984 St. Louis encephalitis (SLE) epidemic in the Los Angeles Basin of southern California (USA), an investigative program was initiated to evaluate the interactive components of the SLE virus transmission cycle. From 1987 through 1996 (10 yr), 52,589 birds were bled and their sera tested for SLE and western equine encephalomyelitis (WEE) virus antibodies by the hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) test. Eighty-three percent of the birds tested were house finches (Carpodacus mexicanus) (48.7%) and house sparrows (Passer domesticus) (34.6%); 1.1% of these birds were positive for...
Cho HJ, Entz SC, Deregt D, Jordan LT, Timoney PJ, McCollum WH.A potent ELISA antigen was prepared from equine arteritis virus (EAV) by differential centrifugation of EAV-infected cell culture fluid, followed by solubilization of the preparation by Triton X-100 treatment. Using this antigen and a mouse monoclonal antibody against the G(L) protein of EAV, a reliable blocking ELISA (bELISA) was developed for the detection of EAV antibodies in equine sera. The bELISA was evaluated using a total of 837 test serum samples. The relative sensitivity (n = 320) of the bELISA compared to the serum neutralization (SN) test was 99.4%. The bELISA appears to be a highl...
Thomsen ME, Davis EG, Rush BR.A 5-y-old Paint horse gelding was evaluated for acute laminitis after exposure to black walnut shavings. The gelding's feet were previously soaked in an ice bath continuously for approximately 24 h. Treatment consisted of anti-inflammatory and vasodilator therapy. Serial radiographs revealed progressive palmar deviation of the third phalanx and subsolar abscesses in both forefeet. The gelding developed purulent discharge from the right coronary band and the hoof wall detached circumfrentially. Euthanasia was elected after 54 days. Continual exposure of the gelding's feet to ice water temperatu...
Southwood LL, Schott HC, Henry CJ, Kennedy FA, Hines MT, Geor RJ, Hassel DM.Thirty-five cases of disseminated hemangiosarcoma (21 clinical cases and 14 previously reported cases) were reviewed to describe the disease in horses. Hemangiosarcoma occurred in mature, particularly middle-aged horses, with no apparent sex predilection. Thoroughbreds seemed to be overrepresented (13 cases) but a true breed predilection could not be established. The respiratory and musculoskeletal systems were most commonly affected and presenting complaints included dyspnea (26%), subcutaneous or muscular swelling (24%), epistaxis (17%), and lameness (12%). Heart and respiratory rates were u...
Baptiste KE, Naylor JM, Bailey J, Barber EM, Post K, Thornhill J.Athletic animals must keep their brains cool during exertion because this organ can be damaged irreversibly by hyperthermia. But how horses do this has remained a mystery, as they don't appear to have thermoregulatory dervices like those found in other animals. They do, however, have a unique anatomical arrangement of their internal carotid arteries, which supply blood to the brain: these are enveloped by a pair of air-filled guttural pouches. Here we show that horses use their guttural pouches to cool these important arteries during exercise, keeping the brain from overheating.
Brama PA, TeKoppele JM, Beekman B, van El B, Barneveld A, van Weeren PR.To investigate the role of stromelysin (MMP-3) activity in synovial fluid (SF) at different stages of development and in common joint disorders in the horse. Methods: Stromelysin activity was determined with a fluorogenic enzyme activity assay in SF of normal joints of fetal, juvenile and adult horses, and in SF of horses suffering from the developmental orthopaedic disease osteochondrosis (OC) or osteoarthritis (OA). Additionally, MMP-3 activity was expressed as a ratio of previously reported general MMP activity in the same SF samples. Results: The levels of active stromelysin were 30-fold t...
Dixon PM, Tremaine WH, Pickles K, Kuhns L, Hawe C, McCann J, McGorum BC, Railton DI, Brammer S.Of 400 horses referred because of dental disorders, 349 cases were diagnosed as suffering from primary disorders of their cheek teeth. Details of 104 of these cases are presented, including 44 cases with abnormalities of wear, 26 cases with traumatic damage, 24 cases with idiopathic fractures and 10 cases with miscellaneous cheek teeth disorders including oral tumours. The long-term response to treatment was excellent in most cases, even in cases with residual secondary periodontal disease.
Cantile C, Di Guardo G, Eleni C, Arispici M.West Nile (WN) virus infection is a mosquito-borne flavivirosis endemic in Africa and Asia. Clinical disease is usually rare and mild and only in a few cases the infection causes encephalomyelitis in horses, fever and meningoencephalitis in man. We report here the clinical and pathological findings in an epidemic of the disease involving 14 horses from Tuscany, Italy. All cases were observed from August to October 1998. Affected horses showed ataxia, weakness paresis of the hindlimbs and, in 6 cases, there was paraparesis progressing to tetraplegia and recumbency within 2 to 9 days. Eight anim...
Smith RK, Heinegård D.Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) is a noncollagenous extracellular matrix protein found predominantly in cartilage, but also in tendon, ligament and meniscus. Studies in man have demonstrated that it may be used as a prognostic marker in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. The present study investigated whether tendon injury contributes to serum and tendon sheath synovial fluid levels of COMP in horses. COMP levels, analysed by competitive ELISA, in the digital sheath synovial fluid were more than 10-fold higher than in the serum. Levels were significantly raised when tendon dam...
Kirschvink N, Art T, Smith N, Lekeux P.To test whether isoprostanes could be used as markers of oxidative stress in horses, their concentration was determined in plasma and in pulmonary epithelial lining fluid (PELF) in 3 models of oxidative stress: (1) strenuous exercise, (2) acute COPD crisis and (3) exercise combined with COPD crisis. Four horses were investigated twice, once in crisis and once in remission. The animals underwent a standardised treadmill exercise test. Isoprostane assessment was performed in plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid 24 h before and 1 h after exercise and in plasma also immediately after exercise. ...
Buchner HH, Kübber P, Zohmann E, Peham C.A kinematic study was performed to establish the locomotion pattern of horses under detomidine sedation and the effects of antagonization for possible use during lameness examinations in uncooperative horses. The kinematics of 17 Warmblood horses (9 sound, 8 lame with chronic forelimb lameness) were recorded on 2 days using a high-speed video system while trotting (3.9 m/s) on a treadmill. On each day a control measurement was carried out prior to sedation with detomidine (10 micrograms/kg bwt) and repeated recordings at 15, 25, 35, 45 and 60 min after sedation. On the second day, sedation was...
Art T, Kirschvink N, Smith N, Votion D, Lekeux P.The effect of a COPD crisis on arterial blood gases, heart rate, lactate and indices of oxidative stress were investigated before, during and 1 h after a 'run up to fatigue' in 6 COPD horses. They were investigated twice, randomly: once in acute crisis (C) and once in clinical remission (R). Arterial and mixed venous blood samples were collected and analysed for partial pressures in O2 and CO2. The mixed venous blood was also analysed for plasma lactate (LA) and packed cell volume (PCV), as well as for indices of oxidative stress, i.e. reduced glutathione, glutathione disulphide, glutathione r...
Valberg SJ, Mickelson JR, Gallant EM, MacLeay JM, Lentz L, de la Corte F.The purpose of this study was to determine if chronic exertional rhabdomyolysis (ER) in Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds represents one or several distinct myopathies. Eighteen Quarter Horses and 18 Thoroughbreds with ER were selected from cases presented to the Veterinary Hospital on the basis of a history of ER, assessment of muscle histopathology, and serum CK activity before and 4 h post exercise. In addition, 2 of 3 of the following parameters were evaluated: muscle glycogen concentrations, thyroid hormones (T3, T4), fractional excretion (FE) of sodium, potassium and chloride. The CK resp...
Routledge NB, Harris RC, Harris PA, Naylor JR, Roberts CA.The variation over 24 h of plasma glutamine concentration in nonexercising horses was studied in 3 Thoroughbreds (TB) fed at 1600 h and 0700 h. This indicated a small but regular change associated with feeding. Starting at a mean of 482 mumol/l at 1600 h the concentration increased to 522 mumol/l at 2000 h, falling to 476 mumol/l at 1600 h and increasing again to 525 mumol/l at 2000 h. 'Normal' values were established in 19 part-bred TB horses, lacking clinical signs or remarkable pathology and in light training, by sampling weekly at 1000 h over a 10 week period. The mean concentration was 49...
Nyman G, Björk M, Funkquist P.To investigate the gas exchange response during exercise in horses with mild bronchiolitis (MB), we studied 7 Standardbred trotters. In order to determine pulmonary gas exchange and red cell volume in relation to bodyweight (CV/BW), submaximal graded exercise tests were performed. VO2 was monitored from an open bias flow system without valves. Heart rate, respiratory rate and mean pulmonary and systemic artery pressures were measured. Cardiac output and alveolar ventilation were calculated. Arterial and mixed venous blood were drawn for blood gas analysis and pH measurements. Pulmonary gas exc...
Marlin DJ, Schroter RC, Scott CM, White S, Nyrop KA, Maykuth PL, Harris PA.Anhidrosis has been recognised for over half a century, but despite some excellent epidemiological studies, there has been little progress in understanding the aetiology of the condition. Using a modified ventilated capsule, we obtained dynamic, quantitative data on sweating responses in anhidrotic horses and normal sweating controls from the same environment. Ten horses with current seasonal anhidrosis and 10 matched normal sweating controls were selected. Each horse was given two 10 min infusions of 1 and 2 micrograms/kg/min adrenaline, separated by at least 6 h. Sweating responses and skin ...
McKane SA, Slocombe RF.Six horses, free of recent exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH), each had 8 bronchial segments inoculated with 40 ml of autologous blood lavaged on Days 3, 5, 7, 10, 14 and 21 after inoculation. The bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid samples were analysed, and total leucocyte counts and differential cell percentages determined. Statistical analysis of the differences between the 8 post inoculation and 1 pre-inoculation (control) lavage sites demonstrated an early neutrophilic response, rising from < 5% of alveolar leucocytes to 10% by 24-48 h post inoculation. As this response wane...
Valentine BA, Del Piero F, Edwards RB.Intramuscular desmoid tumors (musculoaponeurotic fibromatosis) were discovered in two young adult horses. The tumor in one horse was in the lateral cervical musculature, and that in the second horse occurred in the pectoral musculature. Histopathologic features were similar in both horses and included proliferation of fibroblasts and cells expressing muscle actin (myofibroblasts), with extensive dissecting fibrosis within muscle. These features are similar to those of desmoid tumors in humans, particularly those also known as musculoaponeurotic fibromatosis. Dissection of these lesions reveale...
Oikawa M, Narama I.Two cases of enthesopathy of the radial tuberosity in Thoroughbred racehorses are described. Soft X-ray pictures revealed separated bony fragments at the anterior aspect of the radial tuberosity, resembling the lesions of Osgood-Schlatter disease in children. Osgood-Schlatter lesions result from detachment of a portion of the apophysis of the tibial tuberosity. However, in the affected horses, the detached bony fragments consisted of cortical bone tissue composed of trabeculae with osteons similar to lamellar bone, the main component of the radial tuberosity. Tendon fibrils were inserted into ...
Joonè CJ, Schulman ML, Fosgate GT, Claes ANJ, Gupta SK, Botha AE, Human A, Bertschinger HJ.Circulating anti-Müllerian hormone concentration (AMH) is positively correlated to the number of small growing follicles in the mare and may reflect ovarian function. Dynamics of AMH during immunocontraception have not previously been investigated. This study aimed to compare serum AMH in mares following treatment with native porcine zona pellucida (pZP), recombinant pZP3 and pZP4 (reZP) or gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) vaccines, and saline-treated controls. Stored sera collected during two previous studies examining ovarian activity in mares during zona pellucida (ZP) or GnRH immuno...
O'Callaghan MW.There is increasing demand on equine practitioners to provide confirmation of their diagnoses. For obscure lameness and for many of the more difficult locomotory problems presented in referral hospitals, the question to be answered is not only how to make the most accurate diagnosis but also how to document the findings so that there is less doubt in the mind of the client. This article describes a quasi algorithmic approach to choosing the best combinations of the increasingly sophisticated imaging methods available for evaluation of orthopedic disease.
Hardman C, McIlnay TR, Dugan SJ.A 3-year-old Paint gelding was presented for sudden onset of cataract affecting the right eye. Ophthalmic examination revealed subtle to mild microphthalmia and a mature cataract affecting the right globe. The right eye was treated with an antibiotic-corticosteroid ophthalmic ointment and phacofragmentation was recommended. On re-examination 5 months later, resorption of the cortex of the right lens and a morgagnian cataract were evident. The nucleus was positioned ventronasally in the lens capsule. The right eye had light perception, and a menace response was present. Examination of the right...
Ambrisko TD, Lammer V, Schramel JP, Moens YP.A spirometry device equipped with mainstream CO2 flow sensor is not available for large animal anaesthesia. Objective: To measure the resistance of a new large animal spirometry device and assess its agreement with reference methods for volume measurements. Methods: In vitro experiment and crossover study using anaesthetised horses. Methods: A flow partitioning device (FPD) equipped with 4 human CO2 flow sensors was tested. Pressure differences were measured across the whole FPD and across each sensor separately using air flows (range: 90-720 l/min). One sensor was connected to a spirometry ...
McLean RG.The epidemic strain of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEE) 1B invaded south Texas in 1971. The success of the eventual containment and control of the virus invasion was the early recognition and immediate detection, cooperation, coordination, and participation among multiple federal agencies. There were 4739 wild vertebrate animals trapped on a ranch in the area with only 1 VEE virus isolation from a Virgina opossum (Didelphis virginiana). A large number of mosquitoes were also collected on the ranch and tested, resulting in 240 VEE virus isolations. Virus isolations were obtained from ...
Sanmartí J, Armengou L, Troya-Portillo L, Robles-Guirado JÁ, Bassols A, Ríos J, Jose-Cunilleras E.Magnesium disorders in horses with gastrointestinal disorders or systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) are scarcely characterized. The purpose of the study was to explore the association of magnesium disorders with diagnosis, SIRS and mortality in horses admitted to a referral equine hospital. In total, 75 sick horses were included in an observational prospective study and classified as: obstructive ( = 17), inflammatory ( = 10) and ischemic gastrointestinal disorders ( = 12), and other non-gastrointestinal systemic disorders ( = 36). All sick horses were also divided according to the...
Pusterla N, Barnum SM, Byrne BA.Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based detection assays for Streptococcus equi subspecies equi often overestimate the prevalence of samples containing viable organisms. The objective of this study was to determine if viability could be determined using genome quantitation and detection of messenger RNA (mRNA) transcripts for the SeM gene of S. equi in pre- and post-cultured samples. Nasal secretions collected from 42 horses with suspected strangles were tested by culture and by quantitative PCR (qPCR) before and 24 hours after a culture step. Viable S. equi was determined based on the detecti...
You Y, Proctor RM, Guo K, Li X, Xue E, Guan F, Robinson MA.High-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) is a very powerful technology for equine doping control analysis. The more recently developed hybrid type of Orbitrap-based HRMS instrument allows for both targeted and non-targeted screening analyses in a single liquid chromatography-high resolution tandem mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS/MS) run. In the present study, an LC-HRMS/MS method was developed and validated to detect prohibited substances in equine sports. The substances were recovered from equine plasma by liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) using methyl tert-butyl ether and were separated on a C18 rev...
Heath MF, Evans RJ, Hayes LJ.Dextrans of mean molecular weight 70 kDa (dextran-70) have had clinical use as anti-thrombotics in man. A major part of the anti-thrombotic action is mediated via inhibition of platelet function. Greatorex (1975, 1977) treated thromboembolic colic in horses with infusions of dextran-70 and reported a 90% recovery rate, but this treatment is nonetheless rarely used. We have used an in vitro method to examine the effect of dextran-70 on equine platelet suspensions, in the hope that understanding the mechanism of action of dextran-70 might lead to the development of alternative therapeutic agents...
Zehetner V, Cavalleri JV, Klang A, Hofer M, Preining I, Steinborn R, Ramsauer AS.There is strong evidence that equine parvovirus-hepatitis (EqPV-H) is associated with the onset of Theiler's disease, an acute hepatic necrosis, in horses. However, the impact of this virus on other hepatopathies remains unknown. The objective of this retrospective study was to evaluate the prevalence and quantify the viral loads of EqPV-H in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded equine and donkey livers with various histopathologic abnormalities. The pathologies included cirrhosis, circulatory disorders of the liver, toxic and metabolic hepatic diseases as well as neoplastic and inflammatory dise...
Ouellette AL, Evans RJ, Heath MF.Endotoxaemia is the leading cause of death in horses. Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIG), stimulated by induced monocyte proteins, is a prominent feature. Monocyte-platelet cellular interactions are central to the vascular dysfunction produced by circulating endotoxin and are implicated in many thrombotic diseases in the horse. This study reports that endotoxin (0.01-10 microg ml(-1)) and blood platelets (2.5 x 10(7) - 1 x 10(8) ml(-1)) are potent inducers of expression and activity of monocyte tissue factor (TF), the primary activator of the blood coagulation protease cascade. The c...
Hartig W, Houe H, Andersen PH.At present Denmark has no central database holding records of equine health and disease. Nor have attitudes to the establishment of a national database, and the concerns it raises, been investigated in a systematic way. The objective of the present study was to assess the attitudes and concerns of potential database stakeholders. Attitudes to participation, and the location, financing and management of the proposed database, together with any concerns it raises, were investigated in a questionnaire study of 13 potential stakeholder groups in Denmark (in total, 1581 questionnaire recipients and...
Piercy RJ, Swardson CJ, Hinchcliff KW.A Standardbred gelding and a colt were examined because of poor performance and anemia. Each horse had been given recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO; 4,000 IU) at least twice within the preceding 2 to 4 months. The horses had an Het of 16 and 24%, serum iron concentrations of 210 and 304 micrograms/dl (reference range, 73 to 140 micrograms/dl), total iron binding capacities of 239 and 321 micrograms/dl (reference range, 266 to 364 micrograms/dl), values for the percentage saturation of transferrin by iron of 87.9 and 94% (reference range, 20 to 52%), and serum ferritin concentrations of 2...
Adams RJ, Mollenkopf DF, Mathys DA, Whittle A, Ballash GA, Mudge M, Daniels JB, Barr B, Wittum TE.To estimate the prevalence of extended-spectrum cephalosporin-, carbapenem-, and fluoroquinolone-resistant bacteria of the family Enterobacteriaceae in the feces of hospitalized horses and on hospital surfaces. Methods: Fecal and environmental samples were collected from The Ohio State University Galbreath Equine Center (OSUGEC) and a private referral equine hospital in Kentucky (KYEH). Feces were sampled within 24 hours after hospital admission and after 48 hours and 3 to 7 days of hospitalization. Methods: Fecal and environmental samples were enriched, and then selective media were inoculate...
Dorado J, Bottrel M, Ortiz I, Díaz-Jiménez M, Pereira B, Consuegra C, Carrasco JJ, Gómez-Arrones V, Domingo A, Hidalgo M.Embryo transfer and the vitrification of embryos could be used for the conservation and recovery of endangered donkey breeds. It is important to develop techniques that optimize recovery rates and the cryotolerance of donkey embryos. This study evaluates factors affecting the recovery rate, quality, and diameter of embryos obtained from donor jennies as a starting point for the use of vitrification and embryo transfer in the conservation of the Andalusian donkey. A total of 100 embryos were recovered out of 124 estrous cycles (80.6%). The donor jenny affected the rates of positive flushings (P...
Fritsch H, Pereira FM, Costa EA, Fonseca V, Tosta S, Xavier J, Levy F, Oliveira C, Menezes G, Lima J, Santos L, Silva L, Nardy V, Astete MKG....During these past years, several studies have provided serological evidence regarding the circulation of West Nile virus (WNV) in Brazil. Despite some reports, much is still unknown regarding the genomic diversity and transmission dynamics of this virus in the country. Recently, genomic monitoring activities in horses revealed the circulation of WNV in several Brazilian regions. These findings on the paucity of genomic data reinforce the need for prompt investigation of WNV infection in horses, which may precede human cases of encephalitis in Brazil. Thus, in this study, we retrospectively scr...
Wilsher S, Lefranc AC, Allen WR.During embryo transfer (ET) the equine embryo can tolerate a wide degree of negative asynchrony but positive asynchrony of >2 days usually results in embryonic death. There is still confusion over whether this is due to the inability of the embryo to induce luteostasis or to an inappropriate uterine environment. Objective: To assess embryo survival and development in an advanced uterine environment. Objective: Embryo-uterine asynchrony, not the embryo's inability to induce luteostasis, is responsible for embryonic death in recipient mares with a >2 days chronologically advanced uterus. Methods...
Martens RJ, Martens JG, Renshaw HW, Hietala SK.The opsonic capacity of serum containing R. equi-specific antibody was compared with antibody-deficient sera using luminol-dependent chemilumenscence (LDCL) and bactericidal assays. These assays incorporated peripheral blood polymorphonuclear neutrophilic leukocytes (PMNL) exposed to R. equi opsonized with neonatal equine pre-colostral serum (control) or serum from foals with R. equi infections (principal). All sera were complement inactivated at 56 degrees C for 30 min. Bacteria were obtained from the lung of a foal with R. equi pneumonia. Neutrophils were obtained from one adult horse for LD...
Swor TM, Whittenburg JL, Chaffin MK.3 adult Quarter Horses were evaluated for acute, progressive neurologic signs 18 hours after oral administration of 1 dose of 1.87% ivermectin paste. Results: Clinical signs included depression, forelimb and hind limb ataxia, drooping of the superior and inferior lips, and muscle fasciculations. Bilateral mydriasis, decreased pupillary light reflexes, and absent menace reflexes were evident. Clinical signs progressed in severity for 36 hours after administration of the ivermectin. Results: All horses were treated supportively with IV administration of fluids and anti-inflammatory medications. ...
Secombe CJ, Firth EC, Perkins NR, Anderson BH.Third carpal bone (C3) disease is a significant cause of lameness in Standardbred and Thoroughbred horses. The bone density of C3 increases as a result of exercise, reducing the compliance of the bone and predisposing it to injury. Currently, the most widely used method of diagnosis is subjective radiography using the tangential view. Radiographically, increases in bone mineral density (BMD) appear as sclerosis but it is not known at what point increases in sclerosis indicate the onset of disease or increased risk of C3 fracture. A quantitative assessment of the BMD of C3 in horses would impro...
Schoeb TR, Panciera RJ.Case records of 21 horses with acute illness following ingestion of hay containing dead striped blister beetles (Epicauta spp) were selected for review. Abdominal pain, fever, depression, frequent urination, shock, and, occasionally, synchronous diaphragmatic flutter characterized clinical illness. Hematologic findings included hemoconcentration, neutrophilic leukocytosis, and hypocalcemia. Hematuria and low urine specific gravity were abnormal urinalysis results. Sloughing of the epithelium of the esophageal part of the stomach, hemorrhagic and ulcerative cystitis, enterocolitis, and myocardi...
McLellan J, Plevin S.Upper respiratory tract (URT) endoscopic examination is a routine part of prepurchase examinations. Discrepancies have been documented in the assessment of arytenoid function grades (AFG) between veterinarians. Objective: To document intra- and interobserver agreement for a population of multi-experience level veterinarians for assessment of AFG of 2-year-old Thoroughbreds. Methods: Observational cohort study. Methods: One-hundred and fourteen URT videoendoscopic examinations were evaluated by 10 veterinarians. Veterinarians were categorised based on experience, into five groups, each group wi...
Mück WM, Henion JD.The performance of microbore high-performance liquid chromatography and capillary zone electrophoresis, both equipped with on-line tandem mass spectrometric detection capability, was evaluated critically for the determination of endogenous amounts of leucine enkephalin and methionine enkephalin in equine cerebrospinal fluid. Using an identical sample clean-up and enrichment procedure, capillary zone electrophoresis-mass spectrometry is limited in its concentration detection capacity owing to its much smaller injection volume. Leucine enkephalin was identified in post-mortem equine cerebrospina...
Ossedryver SM, Baldwin GI, Stone BM, McKenzie RA, van Eps AW, Murray S, Fletcher MT.Three ponies continuously grazed a pasture containing an estimated 24% Indigofera spicata (wet weight basis) for 4-6 weeks in April and May 2004. They developed ataxia, paresis, depression, muscle fasciculations, dysphagia, ptyalism and halitosis. Two also developed corneal opacity. One pony recovered with supportive treatment, but the other two were euthanased and necropsied. Neuropathology was not present in either case, but both livers had periacinar and periportal lymphocytic infiltrations and hydropic degeneration of mid-zonal hepatocytes, with mild to moderate periacinar necrosis also ev...
Westerman TL, Poulsen KP, Schlipf JW, Valentine BA.A 14-year-old Morgan gelding was presented for progressive weakness and muscle atrophy. The horse was initially diagnosed with equine protozoal myelitis based on history, physical examination, and laboratory diagnostics. Despite therapy, the horse declined clinically and was euthanized. Necropsy revealed a rare form of neurotropic lymphoma, described in this report. Lymphome de cellules-B riches en cellules-T neurotropes chez un hongre Morgan âgé de 14 ans. Un hongre Morgan âgé de 14 ans a été présenté pour une faiblesse progressive et une atrophie musculaire. On a d’abord diagnostiq...
Acland HM, Allen PZ, Kenney RM.After contagious equine metritis bacteria were inoculated into the uterus of mares, genital tract tissues were examined for presence of the organism by bacteriologic cultural technique and an indirect immunofluorescent staining technique. Up to 14 days after mares were inoculated, the organism was frequently in the lumen of the uterus and in the cervix and, less frequently, in the vagina, vestibule, clitoral fossa, clitoral sinus, and uterine tubes. After 21 to 116 days, the organism was occasionally found on the ovarian surface, in the uterine tubes, uterus, cervix, and vagina and more freque...
Murray MJ, Doran RE, Pfeiffer CJ, Tyler DE, Moore JN, Sriranganathan N.Isolated segments of left dorsal colon and a side-to-side colocolostomy (between the left ventral colon and left dorsal colon) were surgically created in 6 adult ponies. Four segments, each separated by an empty segment, were inoculated (20 ml) with 1 of the following 4 solutions: phosphate buffered saline solution (PBSS)/1% polyethylene glycol (PEG); purified cholera toxin in PBSS/1% PEG (5 micrograms cholera toxin/ml of PBSS/1% PEG); lyophilized Salmonella typhimurium UCD 1755 culture lysate, reconstituted in PBSS/1% PEG; and viable S typhimurium UCD 1755 (10(8) organisms/ml of PBSS/1% PEG)....
Yamashita-Kawanishi N, Ito S, Chambers JK, Uchida K, Sato M, Chang HW, Knight C, van der Meer F, Haga T.Equus caballus papillomavirus type 2 (EcPV2) infection has been associated with genital squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) development in horses. However, very few reports on EcPV2-associated disease in Asia exist. Our study characterizes pathological and virological features of an EcPV2-associated vulvar SCC from a Japanese mare. Conventional PCR, in situ hybridization, reverse-transcriptase PCR and immunohistochemistry confirmed the presence and distribution of EcPV2 within the lesion and suggested that p53 degradation may not be the mechanism by which this virus induces neoplastic transformation...
