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.
Lakritz J, Madigan J, Carlson GP.Hypovolemic hyponatremia attributable to severe fluid and electrolyte alterations was diagnosed in a foal with diarrhea. Subsequent consumption of water resulted in rapid reduction of serum sodium concentration and serum osmolar depression. Clinical signs of neurologic disease developed including blindness, loss of menace response, and seizures. Treatment of this condition with IV administered fluids included hypertonic saline solution (7.2%; 2 ml/kg of body weight), and frequent monitoring of serum electrolyte concentrations and osmolality resulted in gradual correction of the fluid and elect...
Hance SR, Robertson JT.A 5-year-old Thoroughbred gelding was examined because of a small axillary wound sustained 5 days earlier and had resulted in extensive subcutaneous emphysema. Three days after admission, the horse's respiratory rate had increased to 72 breaths/min, and the horse appeared anxious and distressed. Thoracic radiography revealed pneumomediastinum and severe bilateral pneumothorax. Tube thoracostomy was performed on both hemithoraxes. The drains were connected to one-way suction valves and suction devices to decompress the thorax. A nasopharyngeal catheter was inserted, and oxygen insufflation was ...
Matsumura T, Sugiura T, Imagawa H, Fukunaga Y, Kamada M.The dissemination of equine herpesvirus types 1 (EHV-1) and 4 (EHV-4) among various horse populations in Japan was investigated through the isolation and typing of virus strains from horses with respiratory diseases. Type specific monoclonal antibody pools were used for the typing of isolates. The 42 strains of EHV-1 and 64 strains of EHV-4 were isolated from 4593 nasal swabs and/or blood plasma samples collected from 3326 horses during a period from 1979 to 1990. All the strains of EHV-1 were isolated from racehorses only and during the winter season exclusively, when the epizootic of respira...
Becker SE, Johnson AL.Studies were conducted to compare continuous vs pulsatile i.v. infusion of GnRH on serum gonadotropin concentrations and ovulation in seasonally anestrous mares and in cycling mares. Anestrous mares (Exp. 1) received no treatment (control; n = 3), 2, or 20 micrograms of GnRH/h continuous infusion (CI) (n = 4 and n = 6, respectively), or 20 micrograms of GnRH/h pulsatile infusion (PI) (n = 5). After initiation of GnRH infusion, serum LH levels increased earlier, and to a greater extent, in the PI group than in other groups (P less than .05). In contrast, serum FSH concentrations did not differ ...
Binhazim AA, Harmon BG, Roberson EL, Boerner M.During routine necropsy of a 28-year-old horse with intestinal volvulus, numerous hydatid cysts were discovered in the liver. Viable protoscolices of Echinococcus granulosus were obtained from the cyst. As a 4-year-old, this horse had been imported from an area that is enzootic for equine hydatidosis.
Weber JA, Woods GL.This article reviews the capabilities of transrectal ultrasonography for determining the distribution of fluid and tissue within stallion accessory sex glands. Emphasis is placed on describing the normal ultrasonographic appearance of the accessory sex glands, excurrent ducts, and pelvic urethra of stallions during rest, after teasing, and after ejaculation and using this information to detect glandular abnormalities.
Jaeschke G, Rudolph R.Clinicopathological aspects of equine leukosis are discussed in a review. Among various other findings, only hypercalcaemia accompanied by paraneoplastic syndrome in the course of equine leukosis, increased values of alkaline phosphatase as usual in tumorous diseases, and hypalbuminaemia and hypergammaglobulinaemia in mesentric and intestinal forms of equine leukosis seem to have some diagnostic and pathogenetic significance. Changed values of further parameters are more or less non-specific concomitant signs, indicating that other organs or organ systems have been affected. However, in case o...
Buyukmihci NC, MacMillan A, Scagliotti RH.Mass-like lesions of the iris were evaluated in 15 horses or ponies of various ages and breeds. Breed or gender predilection was not found. These lesions were most often found in blue irides at the 12 o'clock region. Because the lesions transilluminated and changed shape rapidly with changes in pupillary size, they were hypothesized to be zones of iris hypoplasia. Histologic evaluation of one specimen supported this interpretation. The lesions were not associated with any other ocular or systemic abnormality.
Hurtgen JP.The breeding soundness evaluation of a stallion is a thorough investigation of a stallion's libido, mating ability, and semen quality. The evaluation should include historical data about the medical aspects of the horse's performance and breeding career, observations and breeding behavior characteristics, collection and evaluation of semen, tests to determine freedom from infectious or contagious disease, and production of foals free of genetic defects. This information should allow the examiner to anticipate the impact of the stallion on the reproductive efficiency of a group of mares. The br...
Willoughby R, Ecker G, McKee S, Riddolls L, Vernaillen C, Dubovi E, Lein D, Mahony JB, Chernesky M, Nagy E.The response of horses exposed to three common respiratory viruses was studied by measuring tracheal mucociliary clearance rates in the trachea. Tracheal clearance rates (TCR) were determined before, during illness and following recovery in horses exposed to equine rhinovirus (ERhV-2), equine influenza virus (EIV) and equine herpesvirus (EHV-4) by means of lateral scintigraphs made following an injection of technetium-99m sulphide colloid into the tracheal lumen. In six horses exposed to ERhV-2, TCR remained within normal limits. Exposure to EIV resulted in reduced TCR in six of seven horses, ...
McDonnell SM, Love CC, Martin BB, Reef VB, Kenney RM.Two mature breeding stallions were evaluated because of specific ejaculatory dysfunction, and each was found to have aortic-iliac thrombosis occluding 60 to 70% of the aortic lumen. In each case, the stallion had strong libido, normal mounting, and vigorous initial thrusting. With continued exertion, thrusting became weak and dismount was awkward. Treatment aimed at maximizing sexual arousal before mounting and reducing hind limb pain and exertion during breeding allowed these stallions to continue breeding. A program of gradually increasing daily exercise also was associated with improved bre...
Blanchard TL, Kenney RM, Timoney PJ.Equine venereal infections of concern in the United States include EHV-3, T. equigenitalis, P. aeruginosa, and K. pneumoniae. Stallions may also harbor EAV in the genital tract and transmit the virus to mares during coitus. With the exception of EHV-3, the stallion generally remains asymptomatic while transmitting infections to mares during breeding. Methods for diagnosis, treatment, and control of these infections are discussed.
Rice L, Ott EA, Beede DK, Wilcox CJ, Johnson EL, Lieb S, Borum P.Oral tolerance tests were performed on 13 neonatal foals to determine their ability to digest disaccharides on d 1, 3 and 5 postpartum. Foals were assigned randomly to treatments consisting of 20% (wt/vol) solutions of either maltose, lactose, or sucrose, dosed at 1 g/kg of BW, or glucose, dosed at .5 g/kg of BW. After a 2-h fast, an initial blood sample was collected via jugular catheter. Foals were administered the appropriate solution orally, and blood was collected every 15 min for 1 h and then every 30 min for 3 h. Plasma glucose increased after dosing with lactose or glucose but not with...
Legrottaglie R, Agrimi P.Electrophoretic analysis in polyacrylamide gel (PAGE) of the equine rotavirus 106/88/LI/EQ, isolated from the diarrhea of an 18 day old foal was compared to the bovine strain NCDV. There was a notable difference in the migration of some segments of the viral RNA. Bands 2 and 3 of the equine rotavirus comigrated while there was a clear separation of segments 7, 8 and 9. Moreover, the migration of segments 1, 4 and 5 revealed a lower molecular weight than the corresponding segments of NCDV.
Divers TJ, Timoney JF, Lewis RM, Smith CA.A 12-year-old thoroughbred gelding died from diffuse global glomerulonephritis, 3 months after a lower respiratory infection from which Streptococcus zooepidemicus was isolated. Immunopathological studies (immunofluorescence, immunodiffusion, immunoperoxidase testing and immunoblotting) indicated the presence of an immune reactant renal disease associated with IgG antibody and streptococcal antigens.
Dart AJ, Snyder JR, Pascoe JR, Farver TB, Galuppo LD.The signalment, clinical and laboratory findings of surgical conditions, treatment, and outcome of 102 cases of descending colon disease in horses were reviewed. Abnormal conditions were categorized as enteroliths, impactions, strangulating lipomas, fecaliths, foreign body obstruction, volvulus, nephrosplenic entrapment, and other conditions. Eleven breed categories of horses were seen during this period. Arabians, ponies, and American miniature horses were more predisposed to descending colon disease than other breeds (P less than 0.05). Female horses and animals greater than 15 years old wer...
Chuma T, Le Blois H, Sánchez-Vizcaíno JM, Diaz-Laviada M, Roy P.The major core protein, VP7, of African horsesickness virus serotype 4 (AHSV-4), the aetiological agent of a recent outbreak of the disease in southern Europe, was expressed in insect cells infected with a recombinant baculovirus containing a cloned copy of the relevant AHSV gene (S7). Analyses of its biochemical and antigenic properties confirmed the authenticity of the protein expressed. The high-level expression of VP7 under the control of the strong polyhedrin promoter of Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus induced disc-shaped crystals in infected insect cells. This enabled u...
Stick JA, Arden WA, Robinson RA, Shobe EM, Roth RA.Effects of 1 hour of colonic volvulus and 3 hours of reperfusion on concentrations of thromboxane (TXB2) and prostacyclin (6-keto-PGF1 alpha) in portal, pulmonary arterial, and jugular blood were determined by radioimmunoassay to assess the site of production and clearance of these eicosanoids from the circulation in 5 anesthetized ponies. Colonic volvulus had no significant effect on mean arterial pressure or TXB2 concentrations, but significantly (P less than 0.05) increased 6-keto-PGF1 alpha concentrations in all blood samples. Immediately after colonic reperfusion, all eicosanoid concentra...
Staempfli HR, Prescott JF, Brash ML.Four groups of two ponies, free of fecal Salmonella and Clostridium cadaveris, were treated as follows: Group A, control group; B, single nasogastrically administered dose of lincomycin (25 mg/kg) followed 48 h later by 3 L of C. cadaveris (10(9) organisms/mL); C, the same dose of lincomycin as group B; D, the same dose of C. cadaveris as group B on each of three occasions at 12 h intervals. Groups A and D remained healthy, but groups B and C developed severe colitis 48-56 h (B) or 72 h (C) after administration of lincomycin. Three ponies were euthanized and one in group B died. Clostridium ca...
Burns GA.At several locations along the equine cecum and colon, the outer longitudinal portion of the tunica muscularis is gathered into discrete bands of smooth muscle and connective tissue called "teniae". In this study, the disposition of the teniae ceci and coli was traced along the equine intestinal tract. It was discovered that, in several instances, arrays of teniae converge toward the valves and sphincters which separate the various intestinal compartments. The teniae may also provide support for and directionality to, peristaltic contraction waves. The tissue proportions of the teniae vary in ...
Edens LM, Taylor DD, Murray MJ, Spurlock GH, Anver MR.A large fibrotic mass originating from the cecal base was discovered upon surgical exploration of the abdomen in a Thoroughbred mare with a history of chronic colic and weight loss. The mass protruded intraluminally resulting in partial obstruction. Surgical excision was not feasible due to the location of the mass and the inability to exteriorize it adequately from the abdominal cavity. The mass was fibrous with a shiny, gelatinous material present throughout the neoplasm. Histologically, large confluent spaces filled with mucopolysaccharides were identified by staining with Alcian blue. The ...
Uzal FA, Robles CA, Olaechea FV.'Mal seco' is a grass sickness-like syndrome of horses in Argentina. A histopathological study was made of the coeliaco-mesenteric ganglia of four horses with 'mal seco' and of four horses that died from other causes. The severity and extent of the lesions found in the horses with 'mal seco' was greatest in the two with the shortest clinical course. Degenerative changes consisted mainly in the loss of Nissl substance, cytoplasmic vacuoles, neuronophagia, intercellular and intracytoplasmic eosinophilic bodies, and pyknotic and eccentric nuclei. The coeliaco-mesenteric ganglia of the control hor...
Love S, Mair TS, Hillyer MH.A retrospective analysis of the clinical and laboratory findings from 51 adult horses with chronic diarrhoea revealed that the most common conditions were larval cyathostomiasis (14 cases), idiopathic chronic colitis (nine cases) and alimentary lymphoma (five cases). Five animals had diarrhoea as a result of non-alimentary disease. A diagnosis was reached in 37 cases, but only 15 were made ante mortem. Among the 18 animals (35 per cent) which survived, there were five cases of larval cyathostomiasis, one case of colonic impaction and 12 cases were undiagnosed. The most frequent abnormalities d...
Lyons ET, Tolliver SC, Drudge JH, Granstrom DE, Collins SS, Stamper S.The activity of moxidectin was evaluated in 1988 and 1989 against natural infections of internal parasites in 20 critical tests (n = 20 equids) and three controlled tests (n = 20 equids). Two formulations, injectable administered intramuscularly (i.m.) or intraorally (i.o.) and gel i.o., were given at dose rates of 0.2, 0.3 or 0.4 mg kg-1 body weight. For the critical tests (all three dose rates evaluated), removals of second instar Gasterophilus intestinalis were 93-100%, except (89%) for the injectable formulation (i.m.) at 0.2 mg kg-1. Removals of third instar G. intestinalis were 88-100% f...
Moens Y, Gootjes P, Lagerweij E.The tube-in-tube technique for the functional separation of the lungs in intact anaesthetised adult horses is based on fibre-optic-guided left-sided endobronchial intubation avoiding tracheostomy. It facilitates a valid separation of the two lungs despite variability in bronchial and carinal anatomy. No clinical complications that could be related to its use have been seen.
Proudman CJ.The records of 200 colic episodes, collected prospectively, over a two year period, from first opinion cases, were analysed and compared with a control sample selected at random from the same population. Analysis by colic type revealed 72% spasmodic/undiagnosed; 7% surgical; 5.5% flatulent; 5% pelvic flexure impactions; 9.5% other implications and 1% colitis. A possible predisposing cause was identified in 43% of the spasmodic/undiagnosed cases. The total incidence of colic in each age group showed no statistically significant differences from the control population. Stallions were significant...
Shaffer SK, Stover SM, Fyhrie DP.Focal bone lesions are often found prior to clinically relevant stress-fractures. Lesions are characterized by low bone volume fraction, low mineral density, and high levels of microdamage and are hypothesized to develop when bone tissue cannot sufficiently respond to damaging loading. It is difficult to determine how exercise drives the formation of these lesions because bone responds to mechanical loading and repairs damage. In this study, we derive steady-state rate constants for a compartment model of bone turnover using morphometric data from fractured and non-fractured racehorse proximal...
Neves AP, Keller A, Trein CR, Möller G, Jobim MI, Castilho LF, Cardoso MR, Leibold W, Zerbe H, Klug E, Gregory RM, Mattos RC.This study compared four treatments for bacterial endometritis in mares experimentally infected with Streptococcus zooepidemicus. Twenty-five mares were used, 20 resistant and five susceptible to endometritis. Mares would be in estrus when infected. Twenty-four hours after inoculation, clinical, bacteriological and cytological examinations were performed and repeated until the first occurrence: negative cytology and no Streptococcus growth or the seventh day post-infection. All mares showed clinical signs of endometritis and were assigned to one of the following treatments: (1) intrauterine in...
Pearson EG, Riebold TW.A representative of each of 3 types of bronchodilators was given iv to horses with clinical signs of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. We used atropine (0.01 mg/kg of body weight) as an anticholinergic, isoproterenol HCl as a beta-adrenergic, and aminophylline, the soluble salt of theophylline, as a methylxanthine. Response to these drugs was evaluated by measuring maximal change in intrathoracic pressures (delta Ppl) and observing clinical signs. Atropine caused a significant (P less than 0.01) reduction in delta Ppl, compared with that caused by aminophylline. Atropine caused the delta ...
Costello J, Firshman AM, Brown JC, Maher M, Tadros EM.A 16-year-old American Paint Horse gelding was presented for evaluation of weight loss and high serum thyroid hormone concentrations resulting from a functional thyroid adenoma. The horse showed no response to a thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) stimulation test. Clinical signs resolved following surgical removal of the adenoma. . Un cheval American Paint Horse hongre âgé de 16 ans fut présenté pour évaluation à la suite d’une perte de poids et d’une concentration sérique élevée d’hormone thyroïdienne résultant d’un adénome thyroïdien fonctionnel. Le cheval ne démontrai...
Wheeldon EB, Greig WA.The history, clinical signs and post mortem findings in a case of Globidium leuckarti infection in a horse with chronic diarrhoea are described. The limited literature concerning this infection is reviewed, with particular reference to pathogenicity.
Phumoonna T, Barton MD, Heuzenroeder MW.The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of the previously identified B-cell epitope TSLNLQKDEPNGRASDTAGQ of the VapA protein of Rhodococcus equi and its association with R. equi pneumonia. A modified peptide designated PN11-14 corresponding to the epitope was recognized by all sera from experimentally infected foals with virulent R. equi ATCC103+ containing the virulence plasmid but not by its plasmid-cured derivative ATCC103- strain. Marked levels of VapA-specific immunoglobulin (Ig)G were detected in all sera from the ATCC103+ infected foals at 2 weeks after the infection. One c...
Park RD.A complete radiographic examination of the equine foot consists of properly exposed, processed, and positioned radiographs. For radiographic interpretation, in addition to knowing radiographic signs of disease, a knowledge of normal radiographic anatomy and possible insignificant anatomic variations is necessary.
Borer KE.A 506 kg Warmblood horse with colic was anaesthetized for exploratory celiotomy. Anaesthesia was complicated by arterial hypoxaemia which persisted throughout surgery from the induction of anaesthesia. After endotracheal extubation in the recovery box, a degree of airway obstruction probably occurred during a brief delay in naso-tracheal intubation. Signs of pulmonary oedema were seen shortly afterwards. Furosemide and oxygen were given. Arterial hypoxaemia was present [PaO2: 6.5 kPa (49 mmHg)] when FIO2 was an estimated 0.3. The horse recovered and stood after 45 minutes. It was re-anaestheti...
Huxtable CR, Chapman HM, Main DC, Vass D, Pearse BH, Hilbert BJ.A severe paretic syndrome accompanied by intense neuronal lipofuscinosis is described in sheep and horses exposed to Trachyandra divaricata. This is a newly recognised toxic hazard for grazing livestock in the coastal region of the south west of Western Australia. Animals appear to become affected over a period of weeks when summer conditions induce a scarcity of alternative feed. The disease is discussed in relation to its recent documentation in South Africa where the plant is indigenous.
Haga HA, Ytrehus B, Rudshaug IJ, Ottesen N.Neoplasia may cause hypoglycemia in different species including the horse, but hypoglycemia has not previously been reported in the horse associated with gastrointestinal stromal tumours. Methods: A case of a gastrointestinal stromal tumour in a Fjord pony with severe recurrent hypoglycemia is presented. The mechanism causing the hypoglycemia was not established. Conclusions: This case indicates that a gastrointestinal stromal tumour may cause hypoglycemia also in the horse.
Ribbeck R, Heide H, Schicht W, Hiepe T.Observations were carried out from May 1977 to May 1980 on occurrence, fauna, and seasonal dynamics of Gasterophilus spp. in 2,539 horses for butchering from all districts of the German Democratic Republic and also in 79 horses after control against gasterophilosis. 99.98% of the 13,742 second and third instar larvae of horses for butchering were Gasterophilus intestinalis, only 0.02% Gasterophilus nasalis. Out of 7,765 larvae passed after control measures Gasterophilus intestinalis dominated with more than 96%. Only in four districts of the German Democratic Republic Gasterophilus nasalis was...
Perryman LE.Primary immunodeficiency disorders are genetically determined failures of immune defense that increase susceptibility to infectious agents. This article reviews the salient features of equine primary immunodeficiency disorders, summarizes the molecular mechanisms of each disorder, and updates information that facilitates diagnosis and management of affected horses. The central theme is to encourage clinicians to ask, "I wonder if this horse has an underlying primary immunodeficiency disorder?" when caring for horses suffering from chronic and recurring infections and responding poorly to stand...
Wilson SJ, Taylor J, Gibson J, McKenzie R.A dense population of Pimelea trichostachya plants (Family Thymelaeaceae) in pasture poisoned a horse herd in southern inland Queensland in October-November 2005. Plant density was 2 to 45 g wet weight/m(2) (mean 16 g/m(2)) from 5 to 69 plants/m(2) (mean 38 plants/m(2)) representing 3 to 20% (mean 9%) of the volume of pasture on offer. Ten of 35 mares, fillies and geldings were affected. Clinical signs were loss of body weight, profound lethargy, serous nasal discharge, severe watery diarrhoea and subcutaneous oedema of the intermandibular space, chest and ventral midline. Pathological finding...
Tulleners EP.Three basic techniques (and one modified technique) were developed, allowing successful excision of subepiglottic cysts in 10 horses (5 Standardbreds, 4 Thoroughbreds, and 1 Quarter Horse; mean age, 3.5 years) via peroral approach. This approach eliminated the need for laryngotomy or pharyngotomy and reduced postoperative care. None of the cysts redeveloped. Clinical signs of disease before surgery included respiratory noise, exercise intolerance, coughing, and dysphagia and were eliminated in all horses except one that raced successfully, but in which some respiratory noise was detected. Pero...
Visser MB, Pollitt CC.The basement membrane (BM) is a thin layer of extracellular matrix that regulates cell functions as well as providing support to tissues of the body. Primary components of the BM of epithelial tissues are laminin-332 (Ln-332) and collagen type IV. Equine laminitis is a disease characterized by destruction and dislocation of the hoof lamellar BM. Immunohistochemistry was used to characterize the distribution of Ln-332 and collagen type IV in the organs of normal horses and these proteins were found to be widespread. Analysis of a panel of tissue samples from horses with experimentally-induced l...
Grewar JD, Porphyre T, Sergeant ES, Theresa Weyer C, Thompson PN.An African horse sickness (AHS) outbreak occurred in March and April 2016 in the controlled area of South Africa. This extended an existing trade suspension of live equids from South Africa to the European Union. In the post-outbreak period ongoing passive and active surveillance, the latter in the form of monthly sentinel surveillance and a stand-alone freedom from disease survey in March 2017, took place. We describe a stochastic scenario tree analysis of these surveillance components for 24 months, starting July 2016, in three distinct geographic areas of the controlled area. Given that AH...
Holý O, Matousková I, Holý V, Koukalová D, Chmelar D.Cronobacter spp. belongs to the family Enterobacteriaceae. It is a motile (peritricha) Gram-negative non-spore forming bacterium. At present, Enterobacter sakazakii is reported as a Cronobacter spp. species with 16 biogroups. It is a ubiquitous organism whose isolation used to be associated with a contaminated powdered infant formula and feed for neonates and infants. Information about the Cronobacter spp. species incidence in the environment, its potential dissemination and its vectors, is very limited. The authors have documented incidence of Cronobacter spp. in the nostril mucous membrane o...
Marsh AE, Chaney SB, Howe DK, Saville WJ, Reed SM.Several reports indicate the presence of small tissue cysts associated with Sarcocystis neurona infections. Several failed attempts to develop tissue cysts in potential intermediate host using in vitro derived parasites originally isolated from horses with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis suggest that the experimental methods to achieve bradyzoites with those isolates was not possible. Those prior studies reported the lack of detectable sarcocysts based on histology and in vivo feeding trials. A recent report of successful production and detection of small sarcocysts triggered us to review a...
Akkmeteli MA.Although mycotoxicoses attract more and more attention, the epidemiology of these diseases is still not adequately studied. The author devotes his study to certain diseases. In addition to the diseases whose mycotoxic nature is in no doubt, he conditionally includes certain diseases whose mycotoxic causation needs further proof. The author has assigned stachybotryotoxicosis and alimentary toxic aleukia or fusariotoxicosis to the first category and endemic nephropathy and primary liver-cell carcinoma to the second. His intention in adopting this approach is to establish the common features and ...
The Journal of hygieneJune 1, 1971
Volume 69, Issue 2 201-207 doi: 10.1017/s0022172400021434
Sinclair IS, McCormick JS, Clark JG.The three heterologous anti-sera currently provided for tetanus prophylaxis have been compared with reference to the production of untoward reactions in 498 patients, and to the blood antitoxin concentrations produced in 76 patients. Equine serum, although giving rise to more reactions, was the only effective agent in terms of the levels and duration of serum antitoxin concentration produced. The local response to a test dose of any of the three sera is not a reliable guide to immediate or late general reactions.
Davies JV.Perhaps because of the inherent difficulty in using horses as experimental animals, only a relatively small amount of data is as yet available regarding normal equine gut motility. However, it is clear that the horse is fundamentally similar to other mammalian species studied. The neural and humoral control of gut activity requires much exploration; it is likely that, in the horse, some of this information will be derived during the investigation of the effects of various substances that might have clinical relevance. This is alluded to in the chapter that follows (The Effects of Pharmacologic...
Jacob RJ, Price R, Bouchey D, Davis T, Borchelt J.This article reviews the findings on temperature sensitivity of equine herpesvirus isolates with an emphasis on equine herpesvirus 3, etiological agent of equine coital exanthema. The hypothesis is presented that the relative apathogenic nature of this herpesvirus may be an indirect result of its inability to synthesize and/or process glycoproteins needed by the virus to produce infectious virions at the normal body temperature of its natural host. It is suggested that equine herpesvirus 3 is the more evolved and naturally attenuated member of the equine herpesviruses.
Krueger CR, Hackett ES, Hess AM, Mama KR.To compare the Element point-of-care (POC) portable blood gas analyzer with a laboratory-based bench-top reference analyzer using whole blood samples obtained from horses presenting to a referral center with various disorders in order to determine agreement between these analyzers. Methods: Prospective clinical study. Methods: The study was conducted at a university teaching hospital at moderate altitude. Methods: One hundred paired samples from 80 horses >1 year of age were collected after obtaining informed client consent. Fifty paired samples were from patients admitted for elective pro...
Brugmans F, Venner M, Menzel D, Mischke R.The purpose of this study was to investigate the usefulness of two heat-precipitation techniques (Schalm- and Millar-method) as screening tests to measure plasma fibrinogen concentration in horses. Based on the measurement of samples from 108 different horses, the coefficient of correlation (CC) for the relationship between the results with the Schalm- and with the reference-method (Jacobsson) were much lower (r = 0.78) than between the Millar- and Jacobsson-method (r = 0.94). Furthermore the Schalm-method was less precise as reflected by the greater coefficient of variation (CV, within-run pr...
Sander SJ, Joyner PH, Cray C, Rotstein DS, Aitken-Palmer C.Acute phase proteins are sensitive markers of inflammation, which are highly conserved across taxa. Although the utility of these proteins are becoming well defined in human and domestic animal medical fields, their role in nondomestic species remains unclear. In this communication, a 20-yr-old Przewalski's horse was presented for unresolving aspiration pneumonia, which cultured a unique Actinomyces-like bacteria. Despite waxing and waning clinical signs and minimal changes on baseline hematologic analysis, protein electrophoresis, serum amyloid A, and surfactant protein D serum concentrations...
Woods PR, Drost WT, Clarke CR, Rodebush CJ.Ten healthy horses were injected intravenously with 99mTc-MAG3 and the disappearance of radioactivity from the blood was measured. The total body clearance (Cl(B)) and elimination half-life (t1/2(beta)) were 7.9 +/- 1.5 ml/kg/minute and 32.8 +/- 4.1 minutes, respectively. The disappearance of 99mTc-MAG3 from the blood of 2 horses with compromised renal function was also measured. The data suggest that 99mTc-MAG3 is a useful and clinically applicable radiopharmaceutical for measurement of effective renal blood flow in the horse.
Penell JC, Bonnett BN, Pringle J, Egenvall A.Computerized diagnostic information offers potential for epidemiological research; however data accuracy must be addressed. The principal aim of this study was to evaluate the completeness and correctness of diagnostic information in a computerized equine clinical database compared to corresponding hand written veterinary clinical records, used as gold standard, and to assess factors related to correctness. Further, the aim was to investigate completeness (epidemiologic sensitivity), correctness (positive predictive value), specificity and prevalence for diagnoses for four body systems and cor...
Tessier GJ, Traynor TR, Kannan MS, O'Grady SM.When the equine tracheal epithelium is mounted in Ussing chambers and bathed in plasma-like Ringer solution, the tissue generates a lumen-negative transepithelial potential (PD) of 22 mV and a short-circuit current (Isc) of 70-200 microA/cm2. Mucosal addition of 10 microM histamine produces a transient increase in the Isc followed by a return to baseline or below. Mucosal addition of 2 microM diphenhydramine inhibits the Isc response to mucosal histamine, whereas 100 microM mucosal cimetidine produces no effect. The average initial increases in Isc over time for mucosal vs. serosal histamine a...
Kramme PM, Ziemer EL.Coccidioidal osteomyelitis was diagnosed in a horse after a 6-month period of coughing, weight loss, and lameness. The horse was euthanatized and the diagnosis was confirmed by gross and microscopic findings.
Seahorn JL, Slovis NM, Reimer JM, Carey VJ, Donahue JG, Cohen ND.To identify factors significantly associated with an epidemic of fibrinous pericarditis during spring 2001 among horses in central Kentucky. Methods: Case-control study. Methods: 38 horses with fibrinous pericarditis and 30 control horses examined for other reasons. Methods: A questionnaire was developed to solicit information regarding a wide range of management practices and environmental exposures from farm owners or managers. Results: The following factors were found in bivariate analyses to be significantly associated with an increased risk of pericarditis: being from a farm with mares an...
