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.
Vice JD, Shoemaker RS, Cho DY.A 2-year old Thoroughbred filly was examined for a 1-month history of persistent nasal discharge. Contrast radiography revealed a circumscribed mass within the right maxillary sinus which extended to the frontal sinus and ethmoid labyrinth. A discrete attachment of the mass to the ethmoid labyrinth was identified at surgery. Surgical removal of the mass eliminated the nasal discharge. On gross examination, the external structure of the mass was similar to a turbinate with a thin bony wall covered by a smooth mucosal membrane. The internal structure of the lesion had a lining membrane with mult...
Doxey DL, Pogson DM, Milne EM, Gilmour JS, Chisholm HK.Damage to the neurons of selected autonomic ganglia was quantified in relation to the severity of the clinical signs shown in acute, subacute and chronic cases of dysautonomia (grass sickness). No connection between the clinical severity of acute or subacute dysautonomia and the amount of neuronal damage in the superior cervical, stellate and coeliaco-mesenteric ganglia could be demonstrated. However, a higher proportion of normal neurons were found in chronic cases. Jejunal submucosal neuronal damage was correlated with clinical severity but further work is required to confirm this finding an...
Vacek JR, Macharg MA, Phillips TN, Foerner JJ, Everett KA.A 3-month-old Thoroughbred colt was presented with signs of colic. Findings from physical examination, abdominal paracentesis, abdominal radiographs and clinical pathology revealed uroperitoneum secondary to a calculus obstructing the urethra and causing subsequent urinary bladder rupture. Analysis of the calculus demonstrated a tissue center with outer concretions composed primarily of struvite.
Mayhew IG, Washbourne JR.The Brainstem Auditory Evoked Potential (BAEP) is a recording of the electrical activity of the brainstem following an acoustic stimulation. Up to seven peaks may be identified within 10 ms, and are labelled I to VII. The first five of these peaks are of most clinical importance, and in normal horses, peaks I, III and V are always present at stimulus intensities of 70-100 dB. Repeated sampling of clinically normal subjects at different stimulus intensities has enabled mean latency values to be determined for the ipsilateral and contralateral peaks I, III and V, and also for the interpeak laten...
Gibson JS, Slater JD, Field HJ.The sequencing of the genome of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) is reported in Elizabeth A. R. Telford, Moira S. Watson, Kathryn McBride, and Andrew J. Davison, 1992, Virology, 189, 304-316. The sequence was derived using a plaque-purified clone of EHV-1 strain Ab4 (designated Ab4p). To ensure that Ab4p shares the pathogenic characteristics of parental Ab4 (hereafter Ab4), both were inoculated intranasally into foals, specifically free from EHV-1 and EHV-4. Clinical signs, including rectal temperature, were similar for both viruses. In addition, nasal shedding of virus was observed over a 1- to 2...
Smith KC, Whitwell KE, Binns MM, Dolby CA, Hannant D, Mumford JA.From 1988 to 1991, 51 pregnant pony mares were challenged intranasally or by aerosol with an isolate of EHV-1 (AB4) originally recovered from a quadriplegic mare. This resulted in 32 abortions, occurring from 9 to 29 days after infection. In 14 of the early abortions (Days 9-14), EHV-1 was not demonstrated in the foetal tissues by virus isolation or immunostaining despite no other non-viral cause for the abortion being evident. Application of the polymerase chain reaction to foetal tissues from 9 of these cases also proved negative. One of the 14 mares was destroyed immediately after abortion,...
Gustafson SB, Trotter GW, Norrdin RW, Wrigley RH, Lamar C.Three doses of sodium monoiodoacetate (MIA) were used to induce degenerative changes in articular cartilage in middle carpal joints of horses. Twelve young (2- to 5-year-old) horses, free of lameness, were randomly allotted to 3 groups. One middle carpal joint of each horse was injected with 0.9% NaCl solution (control joint). The contralateral middle carpal joint was injected with 0.09 mg of MIA/kg of body weight (group 1); 0.12 mg/kg (group 2); or 0.16 mg/kg (group 3). After MIA administration, horses were allowed ad libitum exercise in a 2-acre paddock for 12 weeks. At the end of the study,...
Uhlinger C, Kristula M.Anthelmintic schedules that alternate between drug classes are widely used in horses. However, the results of investigations in which ovine nematode parasites were used have established that alternation of drug classes does not delay the development of drug resistance. This field study was designed to assess the effect of alternation of drug classes on the development of oxibendazole (OBZ) resistance in benzimidazole (BZD)-resistant equine small strongyles. A privately owned herd of horses was used for this study. These animals grazed the same pasture and had been treated with the same anthelm...
Dyson S, Wright I, Kold S, Vatistas N.A sagittal fracture of the medial aspect of the patella was identified in 15 horses, 2 of which had been kicked and 12 of which had hit a fixed fence while jumping. Eight horses showed concurrent fragmentation of the base of the patella, and 2 had sustained a concurrent fracture of the distal end of the lateral trochlear ridge of the femur. A cranioproximal-craniodistal oblique radiographic view was essential to identify the site of the medial patellar fracture and to determine its configuration. Fourteen horses were treated by surgical removal of the medial patellar fracture fragment(s). Of 1...
Bracher V, Allen WR.The new generation of videoendoscopes uses an electronic, instead of an optical, system for image transmission. Advantages over conventional fibre-optic endoscopes include increased image quality, handling robustness and direct display of the image on a TV monitor for multiple simultaneous viewing. In the present study, hysteroscopy was performed on 14 normal fertile Welsh Pony and Thoroughbred mares at various times during the annual and ovarian breeding cycles. Oestrus was characterised by an oedematous, relaxed cervix lying on the floor of the vagina, diffuse oedema of the endometrium and t...
Catlin BW.The clinical significance, Gram stain reaction, and genus affiliation of Gardnerella vaginalis have been controversial since Gardner and Dukes described the organism as the cause of "nonspecific vaginitis," a common disease of women which is now called bacterial vaginosis. The organism was named G. vaginalis when taxonomic studies showed that it was unrelated to bacteria in various genera including Haemophilus and Corynebacterium. Electron microscopy and chemical analyses have elucidated the organism's gram-variable reaction. Controversy over the etiology of bacterial vaginosis was largely res...
Parker JL, White KK.A complete search of the literature concerning Lyme borreliosis as it relates to horses and cattle was done. The epidemiology, pathogenesis, immunological response to the disease, diagnosis and treatment are discussed. A review of clinical cases in horses and cattle is presented. Clinical signs of Lyme borreliosis in horses include: chronic weight loss, sporadic lameness, laminitis, low grade fever, swollen joints, muscle tenderness, and anterior uveitis. In addition to those clinical signs, neurological signs such as depression, behavioral changes, dysphagia, head tilt and encephalitis can be...
Whitehair KJ, Adams SB, Parker JE, Blevins WE, Fessler JF.Antibiotics were delivered to chronically infected tissues by regional limb perfusion in three horses with osteomyelitis associated with orthopedic implants. Two infections were resolved with implants in place; in one, a sequestrum was resorbed. In one horse, regional antibiotic perfusion was applied to treat progressively worsening bone infection after initial implants loosened and were removed.
Dascanio JJ, Zhang CH, Antczak DF, Blue JT, Simmons TR.Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) was diagnosed in two horses: an 18-year-old Quarter Horse gelding that was examined because of edema of the prepuce and ventral abdomen; and a 20-year-old mixed breed gelding that was referred because of lymphocytosis, ventral edema, and weight loss. The first horse had enlarged peripheral lymph nodes and cool nonpainful pitting edema of the ventral abdomen and prepuce. The second horse had enlarged peripheral lymph nodes, cool nonpainful pitting edema of the ventral thorax and cranial ventral abdomen, and a 3/5 holosystolic heart murmur. The diagnosis of CLL...
Murray MJ.Gastroendoscopy was performed on 111 horses (1 to 22 years old) that had signs of abdominal discomfort of variable duration and severity. At least 1 episode of colic had been observed within 48 hours of examination in 31 horses. Recurrent episodes of colic were observed in 28 horses within 2 to 10 days of examination, 31 horses within 11 to 30 days, 12 horses within 31 to 60 days, and in 9 horses at more than 60 days after the initial examination. Gastric ulceration was found in 91 of 111 horses examined. Other abnormalities involving the gastrointestinal tract or other abdominal viscera were ...
Marr CM.Microwave thermographs were recorded from 77 normal horses. In 51% the lowest temperature was recorded in the mid-metacarpal region, and in 41% it was in the distal metacarpal region. The mean temperature of the normal limbs ranged from 25.04 to 37.4 degrees C. Maximum temperature differences between symmetrical points in both forelimbs ranged from 0 to 5.33 degrees C and differences in mean limb temperatures between both forelimbs ranged from 0 to 2.91 degrees C. In 48 horses with acute (less than 4 weeks' duration) injury of the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) (36 unilateral, 12 bil...
Chen Q, Klein JS, Gamsu G, Webb WR.High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) was performed in 21 isolated animal lungs, from 4 mammalian species (pigs, rabbits, dogs, sheep). Gross and subgross central and peripheral lung morphology was determined by HRCT. Three distinct types of lungs can be identified, principally based on the extent of interlobular septal development; the relationship of major vessels to airways; and the thickness of the visceral pleura. Type-I lung is found in pigs, sheep, and cattle; type-II lung is found in rabbits, dogs, cats, and monkeys; and type-III lung is found in human beings and horses. These mam...
Walton TE, Holbrook FR, Bolivar-Raya R, Ferrer-Romero J, Ortega MD.The arthropod-borne virus (arbovirus) diseases of livestock have worldwide impact. The prevention of an introduction of an exotic disease and the control of one subsequent to an introduction will require the attention, cooperation, and support of the livestock industry, regulatory agencies, and researchers. The most effective protection of our livestock industries is to prevent the introduction of an exotic disease agent. This implies complete restriction of animal imports and exports. However, "zero risk" is an unacceptable option in today's world of internationally integrated and interdepend...
Seahorn TL, Sams AE, Honnas CM, Schmitz DG, McMullan WC.Ultrasonography was used to confirm the tentative diagnosis of keratoma in a horse admitted for chronic progressive lameness. A definitive diagnosis of keratoma traditionally has been diagnosed by history, clinical findings, and radiographic evaluation. Confirmation of the keratoma by use of ultrasonography facilitated the formulation of a treatment plan that resolved the condition.
Wensing T.Usability, repeatability and accuracy of the quantitative buffy coat analyser, QBC2, have been tested for the horse. The analyser provided reasonable results. The correlation between the data obtained with the QBC2 and those obtained with conventional techniques was found to be good.
Beard WL, Byrne BA, Henninger RW.Irreducible ileocecal intussusceptions pose a difficult surgical problem. Strangulating ileocecal intussusceptions involving the ileum and jejunum were identified in 2 horses undergoing exploratory laparotomy because of colic. Surgical correction in both horses was achieved by amputation of the ileocecal intussusception from within the cecal lumen, via typhlotomy. The inverted ileal stump was blindly stapled near the ileocecal orifice after pulling the intussusceptum into the cecum. A jejunocecostomy was performed to reestablish intestinal continuity.
Sheppard M, Drysdale SM, Studdert MJ.Physical maps were constructed for the genome of equine adenovirus 1 (EAV1) using the restriction enzymes; DraI, EcoRV, NotI and SfiI. The total size of the EAV1 genome was 34.4 kb estimated by comparison with known DNA standards and the polarity of the fragment order, with respect to the left and right molecular ends, was determined by hybridization with known regions of the human adenovirus 2 (HAV2) genome.
Hance SR, Robertson JT, Bukowiecki CF.Two horses were examined for compression of the pharynx from the dorsal pharyngeal wall. Neither horse had a patent opening of 1 of the guttural pouches. Radiography of the guttural pouch region revealed a retropharyngeal opacity that occluded 1 guttural pouch. Organisms were not isolated on bacteriologic culture of fluid obtained from the affected guttural pouch. Surgical exploration of the guttural pouch revealed the lining to be easily removeable by blunt dissection in 1 horse; however, the lining was more firmly attached and removal was not attempted in the second horse. A fenestration bet...
Rodríguez A, Peña L, Flores JM, González M, Castaño M.This study was undertaken to investigate the presence of neuroendocrine cells (N.E.C.) by immunocytochemical means in equine lungs during three distinct evolutionary periods: fetal, neonatal and adult. The authors identified bombesin, somatostatin and calcitonin secretory cells. In the fetal lungs the N.E.C. were located in the interstitial tissue and exhibited greater immunoreactivity to bombesin than to the other two neuropeptides studied. A large number of calcitonin-producing cells and a smaller number of bombesin-positive cells were seen in the bronchial and bronchiolar epithelium of newb...
Klei TR, Chapman MR, Dennis VA.The adherence of equine leukocytes to Strongylus vulgaris infective larvae (L3) in the presence of normal and immune sera was examined in vitro. Immune sera promoted adherence of buffy coat cells from ponies with S. vulgaris-induced eosinophilia (eosinophilic ponies) to S. vulgaris L3. However, eosinophils in the buffy coat cells were the predominant adherent cell type. Studies using leukocyte populations enriched for eosinophils, neutrophils, and mononuclear cells from eosinophilic ponies support the observations using buffy coat cells that eosinophils were the main effector cells. Adherent e...
Cohen ND, Carter GK.Steroid hepatopathy was diagnosed in a horse with glucorticoid-induced hyperadrenocorticism on the basis of anamnesis, serum biochemical data, and histologic findings of hepatic biopsy. Initially, clinical signs of polyuria, polydypsia, and muscular degeneration were seen. The horse developed laminitis during hospitalization.
Alwan WH, Carter SD, Bennett D, May SA, Edwards GB.Degradation of cartilage in osteoarthritis of man results in the release of sulphated glycosaminoglycans, particularly keratan sulphate, into tissue fluids. A study was made to evaluate these markers for osteoarthritis in the horse. Synovial fluid and serum levels of keratan sulphate, measured by an ELISA-inhibition technique, and sulphated glycosaminoglycans measured by specific dye binding assay, were found to be significantly increased (P less than 0.001) in joints from horses with osteoarthritis, compared with normal joints. Synovial fluids from joints with infective arthritis also showed ...
de la Calle J, Burba DJ, Ramaswamy CM, Hosgood G, Williams J, LeBlanc C, Moore RM.To compare plasma and synovial fluid endothelin-1 (ET-1) and nitric oxide (NO) concentrations in clinically normal horses and horses with joint disease. Methods: 36 horses with joint disease, and 15 horses without joint disease. Methods: Horses with joint disease were assigned to 1 of the 3 groups (ie, synovitis, degenerative joint disease [DJD], or joint sepsis groups) on the basis of findings on clinical and radiographic examination and synovial fluid analysis. Endothelin-1 and NO concentrations were measured in plasma from blood samples, collected from the jugular vein and ipsilateral cepha...
Salciccia A, de la Rebière de Pouyade G, Gougnard A, Detilleux J, Caudron I, Verwilghen D, Serteyn D, Grulke S.(1) Evaluate the occurrence and variables associated with incisional morbidities (IMs) after ventral median laparotomy when using interrupted vertical mattress sutures (IVMS) and (2) determine the occurrence of abdominal bandage-associated complications in horses. Methods: Occurrence of IM and bandage-associated complications were determined after single laparotomies (SL group; n=546 horses) and repeat laparotomies (RL group: multiple laparotomies within four weeks; n=30 horses) in horses that survived ≥7 days postoperatively. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression were per...
Carroll JF, Schmidtmann ET, Rice RM.One hundred ten white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) were captured on horse farms in south-central Maryland, examined for ticks, and tested for specific antibodies to Ehrlichia risticii, the causative agent of Potomac horse fever. Peromyscus leucopus were consistently infested with immature American dog ticks (Dermacentor variabilis), with monthly prevalences as high as 80%. Sera from all 97 P. leucopus tested for antibodies to E. risticii were negative. This indicates that P. leucopus is not a reservoir of E. risticii, and suggests that immature D. variabilis do not acquire E. risticii in ...
Koenig J, Hurtig M, Pearce S, Henderson J, Morris T.Prolonged postoperative recuperation time and restricted exercise were circumvented by using ballistic shock wave lithotripsy to break up an 8-cm diameter vesical calculus and by flushing out the sand-like residue under epidural anesthesia with the horse standing. Recovery was uneventful.
Kasashima Y, Kuwano A, Katayama Y, Taura Y, Yoshihara T.Six live horses with various stages of acute to chronic superficial digital flexor (SDF) tendinitis were examined using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In each case, MRI findings were compared to the corresponding ultrasonographic (USD) and histologic findings, to establish the usefulness of MRI. In the acute cases, lesions characterized by hemorrhage were well defined as high signal intensity on MRI and hypoechoic regions on USD. Chronic tendon fibrosis was slightly hyperechoic and difficult to distinguish from the normal tendon tissue around the original injury by using USD. In contrast, M...
Bannai H, Kambayashi Y, Ohta M, Nemoto M, Tsujimura K.To assess the prevalence of equine coronavirus infection in riding horses, virus-neutralizing tests were performed on serum and saliva samples collected at four facilities in Japan. Seropositivity rates ranged from 79.2% to 94.6%, suggesting widespread circulation of the virus in these populations. Antibody prevalence in saliva samples from two facilities that had experienced outbreaks in the previous year (67.6% and 71.4%) was significantly higher than at the other facilities without reported outbreaks (41.7% and 45.2%, P<0.05). The presence of salivary antibodies in a high proportion of h...
Andrews FM, Rosol TJ, Kohn CW, Reed SM, DiBartola SP.Three horses less than or equal to 3 years old were evaluated because of stunted growth, weight loss, anorexia, depression, and lethargy of at least 1 month's duration. A neonatal foal was examined after its death. In each case, gross and microscopic renal lesions were compatible with bilateral renal hypoplasia (ie, cortical hypoplasia with severe medullary hypoplasia). In young horses with renal failure, bilateral renal hypoplasia should be considered in the differential diagnosis, and may represent a congenital lesion.
Pavone S, Mandara MT.The interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) play a key role in the control of intestinal motility and have been implicated in several human gastrointestinal dysmotility syndromes, in equine grass sickness and in other intestinal disorders where a significant reduction in ICC density was observed. Objective: To investigate the density of ICC in clinically normal horses, ICC c-Kit expression was evaluated by image analysis in order to obtain numerical data. Methods: Intestinal samples from the jejunum to small colon from 5 clinically normal horses were studied. Immunohistochemical labelling of ICC was...
Worth LT, Reef VB.To determine clinical signs of pericarditis in horses and to determine whether there were any relationships among clinical signs, echocardiographic findings, treatment, and outcome. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 18 horses. Results: Physical examination was performed on 16 horses. Cardiovascular abnormalities included tachycardia (n = 16), pericardial friction rub (10), venous distention (7), murmur (7), muffled heart sounds (6), weak arterial pulse (6), jugular pulse (6), and edema (5). Twelve horses also had respiratory abnormalities; the most common was dull lung sounds, ventrally, ...
Camacho-Rozo CA, Santos GO, Wenzen DP, Cousseau SB, Wronski JG, Argenta FF, Winter GHZ, Pavarini SP, Mattos RC.This report describes a case of sudden death of a pregnant miniature mare due to an acute ovarian hemorrhage leading to fatal hemoperitoneum. The miniature horse was a 12-year-old female, 60 days pregnant, with a body condition score of 7 (1-9), with a history of obesity and laminitis. Necropsy revealed hemoperitoneum due to an ovarian capsule rupture and hemorrhage after a physiological supplementary ovulation and luteinization. Ovarian rupture after ovulation is uncommon in mares.
Mizukoshi N, Sakamoto K, Iwata A, Ueda S, Kamada M, Fukusho A.The reverse transcription followed by the polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique was applied to the detection of African horsesickness virus (AHSV) using primers specific for attenuated AHSV serotype 4 segment 5 (NS1 gene). Total RNA which contains both messenger RNA and genomic dsRNA was extracted by the acid guanidinium-phenol-chloroform method from the AHSV infected Vero cells and was used as templates to optimize the RT-PCR. A pair of primer (NP2-NP32) amplified the product of the expected size from all serotypes of attenuated AHSV when four pairs of primers were tested. Using this p...
Harrison LJ, May SA, Edwards GB.Over a period of 16 years, 26 horses were treated for open fractures involving the splint bones. Treatment consisted of surgical excision of fracture fragments and sequestra, and curettage of infected and unhealthy tissues. The splint bone distal to the fracture was removed in nine horses in which the attachment of the splint bone to the cannon bone via the interosseous ligament did not provide adequate stability. In two horses it was considered necessary to stabilise the proximal fragment by internal fixation and infection developed in both of them; one of these horses was destroyed on humane...
Buhl R, Ersbøll AK.Although valvular regurgitation is diagnosed frequently by colour Doppler echocardiography in racehorses at rest, there is currently no information about the effect of exercise on valvular regurgitation. Objective: To investigate the effect of light exercise on valvular regurgitation in a population of trotters. Methods: Standardbred trotters (n = 73) were examined by resting auscultation and echocardiography, of which 50 fullfilled the criteria of the study. Of these, 4 had reduced performance according to the trainers and were not included in the statistical analyses. Horses that showed valv...
Rantanen NW.Ultrasound examination offers important diagnostic and prognostic information in renal disease of the horse. Differentiation between acute nephrosis and chronic renal disease can usually be made because of the advanced degree of morphologic change usually prevalent in chronic conditions. Dilatations of the recesses and pelvis (hydronephrosis) as well as the relative thickness of the renal cortex and medulla are readily determined. Mineral densities (calculi) are recognizable by their characteristic acoustic shadowing.
Murray MD, Snowdon WA.The distributions of the following feral animals are given -- cattle, buffalo, pig, goat, deer, camel, horse, donkey, fox, dog and cat -- and the native dingo. The possible role these and the native rodents, marsupials and monotremes would play should an exotic disease of livestock enter Australia is discussed. It is considered that feral animals would be important in creating foci from which the disease would spread.
Sasaki N, Imamura Y, Sekiya A, Itoh M, Furuoka H.In this study, fasciculation of the limbs and tongue was observed in four horses kept by a riding club. Neurogenic muscle atrophy was also observed in biopsy of pathological tissues. In addition, in two cases that subjected to autopsy, Bunina-like bodies of inclusion in the cell bodies of neurons in the spinal cord ventral horn were confirmed, leading to a diagnosis of equine motor neuron disease (EMND). Serum vitamin E concentrations varied between 0.3 and 0.4µg/ml, which is significantly lower than the levels in normal horses. Although lack of vitamin E is speculated to be a contributory fa...
Safronova LD, Pimenova TI.The cytogenetic study performed has shown that karyotyping of meiotic cells can be based on the synaptonemal complexes (SC) of spreading pachytene spermatocytes of bull and of horse. The horse SC karyotype has not been previously described. A comparison of the relative length of SC with metaphase chromosomes of bull and horse somatic cells has revealed the correspondence of the chromosome length in pachytene of meiosis and metaphase, which is in agreement with the data on house mouse and Chinese hamster. The method of spreading pachytene cells may be of great practical importance in studies of...
Doyle DG.During an electron and light microscopic study of the equine intestinal epithelium, it was observed that some secretory granules of the undifferentiated crypt epithelium were incorporated into the nucleus during mitosis. A study was made of the chemical nature of the granules, using standard histochemical techniques: PAS-Alcian blue, Deamination-PAS, and Ninhydrin-Schiff reactions. The granules contained a neutral protein-polysaccharide complex with many terminal amino groups, possibly an antibody (IgA). The intranuclear granules underwent coalescence and degeneration during differentiation. T...
Wotman KL, Johnson AL.Many systemic diseases have ocular manifestations. In some cases, ocular abnormalities are the most obvious or first recognized sign of disease that prompts veterinary evaluation. In other cases, the systemic disease leads to secondary ocular changes that might lead to loss of vision or globe if not addressed. Therefore, recognition of ocular abnormalities that might result from systemic diseases is an essential skill for the equine practitioner. This article provides practitioners with information regarding the most common systemic diseases of horses in North America that have ocular manifest...
Hoffman M, Cheong SH, Stokol T.Liver analyte measurement is important in the evaluation of sick animals. Liver injury in horses is recognized by increased glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH), sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities, whereas biliary pathology is identified by increased alkaline phosphatase and γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT) activities or bilirubin concentrations. We have observed high GLDH, but not SDH, activities in neonatal foals admitted for conditions other than liver disease. Only one previous study have evaluated GLDH activity over time in healthy neonatal foals; however...
Basrur PK, Kanagawa H, Podliachouk L.An intersex horse exhibiting cell types of different sex chromosome constitution was subjected to further studies in order to determine whether the house was a mosaic or a chimera. Cultures of gonadal tissue and peripheral blood revealed mainly 64/XX and 64/XY cells, the former predominating in both tissues. The frequency of drumstick-bearing poly-morphonuclear neutrophils in the intersex horse was similar to that noted in normal mares. Blood type analysis using 17 naturally occurring agglutinins and hemolysins revealed partial agglutinations with three antibodies for the factors of the A syst...
Long MT, Goetz TE, Kakoma I, Whiteley HE, Lock TE, Holland CJ, Foreman JH, Baker GJ.Fetal infectivity of Ehrlichia risticii was investigated in 19 ponies that were E risticii negative on the basis of results of an indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) test. Thirteen pregnant ponies were infected by IV administration of E risticii between 90 and 180 days of gestation. Six pregnant ponies served as noninfected controls. Each infected pony had clinical signs of equine monocytic ehrlichiosis, was confirmed to be ehrlichemic, and developed an IFA titer to E risticii. Two infected ponies became recumbent, were unresponsive to supportive care, and were euthanatized. After recovery fro...
Halvarsson P, Tydén E.Gastrointestinal nematode parasites are of major concern for horses, where Strongylus vulgaris is considered the most pathogenic among the Strongylus species. Diagnosis of S. vulgaris infections can be determined with next generation sequencing techniques, which are inherently dependent on reference sequences. The best marker for parasitic nematodes is internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) and we provide the first complete ITS2 sequences from five morphologically identified S. vulgaris and additional sequences from two S. edentatus. These sequences have high similarity to already published part...
Cowell RL, Tyler RD, Clinkenbeard KD, MacAllister CG.This article discusses collection, slide preparation, culture technique, fluid analysis and evaluation, and cytologic evaluation of peritoneal and pleural effusions. The morphologic characteristics of various effusions are described, and the physical characteristics (volume, color, turbidity) of effusions are discussed. An algorithm for classifying effusions as transudates, modified transudates, or exudates is included, and each category is discussed.
Specht TE, Poulos PW, Metcalf MR, Robertson ID.Vacuum phenomenon was induced inadvertently during radiographic examination of a metatarsophalangeal joint of a lame horse. The phenomenon was recreated in a sound horse when a metacarpophalangeal joint was radiographed in a stress-flexed position. Distraction of apposing articular surfaces may induce the vacuum phenomenon, which could result in misdiagnosis of an osteochondral defect or fracture.
Shefstad DK.The lesions caused by larvae of Gasterophilus intestinalis in the cardiac region of the equine stomach were funnel-shaped ulcers surrounded by a rim of hyperplastic epithelial cells. Bacteria were commonly seen on the rim of epithelial cells, at the base of some ulcers, and within the cavities produced by the hooks of the larvae. Cellular debris and mucus were within the ulcer.
Wolfers H, Böhm D.Etiology and therapy of equine esophageal obstipation are described in 79 cases seen at the Veterinary Surgery Clinic of the University of Munich.
Schumacher J, Smith BL, Morgan SJ.A 2-year-old Quarter Horse gelding was examined for torticollis, facial protuberances over the frontal and maxillary sinuses, and persistent nasal discharge unresponsive to antibiotics. Radiograph revealed an osseous mass in the right paranasal sinuses. Histologic examination of the biopsied mass led to a diagnosis of osteoma. The mass was removed surgically in sections from the right frontal and maxillary sinuses through separate bone flaps, and sinuses were irrigated with saline solution for 8 days after surgery. Two weeks after surgery, radiography revealed small osseous opacities in the ri...
