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.
Wheeler SJ.This study aimed to establish a clinically reproducible method of evaluation of sensory nerve conduction in the horse and to provide reference values in a group of normal horses. Age-related changes in the sensory nerve conduction velocity were of particular interest. Sensory nerve conduction was performed in the lateral palmar nerve. The results revealed an increase in velocity over the first year of life and a subsequent decrease in velocity in older horses. The effect of age must be considered if results from horses in which peripheral nerve disease is suspected are to be interpreted correc...
De Waal DT.Babesia caballi, isolated from a horse that originated from South West Africa/Namibia, was transmitted transovarially by adult Hyalomma truncatum. B. caballi proved to be highly infective for adult H. truncatum. Forty-five per cent of ticks feeding on a reacting animal with an extremely low parasitaemia became infected. In spite of a low parasitaemia, the ticks were severely affected by the parasite. Seventy per cent of the infected ticks either died during oviposition or after laying only a few eggs. The features of the infection in horses were: a prepatent period of 10 days, very low parasit...
Mumford JA, Hannant D, Jessett DM.Infection of seronegative Welsh mountain ponies was established by intranasal instillation or exposure to nebulised aerosol of egg grown H3N8 viruses. Pyrexia and coughing were noted following intranasal instillation and high titres of virus were recovered from the nasopharynx. Exposure to aerosol resulted in more severe clinical signs characterised by high temperatures, dyspnoea, anorexia and coughing; lower levels of virus were recovered from the nasopharynx. The severity of clinical signs and the kinetics of virus shedding were dose-related with the minimal infectious dose being 10(2)EID50/...
Reeves MJ, Vansteenhouse J, Stashak TS, Yovich JV, Cockerell G.A study was undertaken to evaluate the significance and mechanism of reperfusion injury in the equine large colon following 1 h of haemorrhagic strangulation obstruction (HSO) or ischaemic strangulation obstruction (ISO) and to assess the effect of treatment with dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO). ISO or HSO were created 40 cm from the pelvic flexure and maintained for 60 mins under general anaesthesia. Normal saline or 20 per cent DMSO (1 g/kg bodyweight) was administered intravenously 10 mins prior to the end of the ischaemic period. Four groups of four horses in a 2 x 2 factorial design were used....
Freeman DE, Orsini PG, Ross MW, Madison JB.A large frontonasal bone flap was created to treat diseases of the paranasal sinuses in 14 horses. The bone flap was made as wide as possible within the confines of the nasolacrimal duct so the floor of the frontal sinus and the dorsal and ventral conchae could be opened. These openings exposed the nasal passages, maxillary sinuses, and ventral conchal sinus thereby facilitating removal of diffuse and localized lesions from these sites. Diseases treated were ethmoid hematomas (4 horses), sinus cysts (5 horses), cryptococcal granuloma, osteoma, hemangiosarcoma, pus in the ventral conchal sinus,...
Boy MG, Galligan DT, Divers TJ.Medical records of 82 horses with clinical signs of neurologic disease and histologic lesions suggestive of protozoal encephalomyelitis were reviewed. The presence of a protozoan parasite in the CNS was not influenced by prior treatment of the horse with corticosteroids. Prior treatment of horses with trimethoprim-sulfonamide alone or in combination with pyrimethamine resulted in a decreased number of horses in which a protozoan parasite was detected in the CNS at necropsy. The mean age of affected horses was 3.62 +/- 2.78 years, with male and Standardbred horses being overrepresented, compare...
Asmis R, Jörg A.Horse eosinophils preincubated with 3H-labelled acetate and stimulated with the Ca2+ ionophores ionomycin or A23187 form a radioactive compound, which we have shown to be 1-O-alkyl-2-[3H]acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (platelet-activating factor). We could detect no 1-O-acyl-2-[3H]acetyl-glycero-3-phosphocholine in the radioactive fraction. The formation of platelet-activating factor was strongly correlated to the generation of leukotriene C4, the main arachidonate metabolite in horse eosinophils, suggesting that platelet-activating factor and leukotriene C4 have a common precursor pool (1...
Mair TS, Yeo SP, Lucke VM.Two horses with deposits of lymphosarcoma, one in the spleen, the other in the mediastinum, several lymph nodes and kidneys, lost weight rapidly and became depressed and weak. They were hypercalcaemic and post mortem examination revealed extensive calcification of the heart and major vessels. There was no evidence of bone marrow metastases in the one horse whose marrow was examined, and the thyroid and parathyroid glands of both horses were grossly normal.
Bernard W, Reef VB, Clark ES, Vaala W, Ehnen SJ.Records of 6 horses with pericarditis were reviewed. Septic pericarditis was suspected in all horses, based on historic and clinical findings. In horses 1, 2, and 4, cytologic examination of the pericardial effusion revealed acute inflammation with severe neutrophil degeneration. In horses 3 and 5, cytologic examination of pericardial fluid revealed subacute inflammation with degenerated neutrophils, and in horse 6, chronic active inflammation, with well preserved neutrophils. In horses 1 and 3, bacteria were identified on cytologic examination of pericardial fluid. Results of microbiologic cu...
MacNamara B, Bauer S, Iafe J.Endoscopic examinations were performed on 965 Standardbred racehorses competing at Yonkers Raceway between June 16 and Aug 3, 1988, to demonstrate an association between exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and poor racing performance. Findings suggested that both exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease adversely affect performance, whereas a combination of the 2 conditions more severely affects racing performance than do either of the conditions individually.
Francqueville M, Sabbah A.The responsibility of the artificial environment in the development of respiratory allergy in horses is well known as the most important factor for the development of asthma, chronic dry cough and pulmonary emphysema. One case of allergy to the natural environment could be observed. One allergic rhinitis with asthma could be explored. Pathology, cause, tests and specific immuno-therapy are presented.
Spurlock SL, Spurlock GH, Parker G, Ward MV.The use of soft catheter materials in large-bore veins has allowed safe long-term venous access in human patients. Similar principles were applied to groups of horses; the jugular vein was catheterized for 14 days (group 1) and for 30 days (group 2). Three catheter materials were compared, and the clinical and histologic findings indicated that the least reaction was associated with silastic, followed by polyurethane; polytetraflouroethylene caused marked reaction. Our results suggest that by using catheters made of materials (especially silastic) that are less stiff or rigid, the duration of ...
Roby KA, Beech J, Bloom JC, Black M.A yearling Arabian-type filly with a history of poor growth, erythrocytosis, hypoglycemia, and high liver enzyme activities was admitted to the hospital for evaluation. Three days after admission, the filly collapsed, deteriorated rapidly despite treatment, and was euthanatized. A metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma with capsular rupture and hemoperitoneum were found at necropsy. Primary liver tumors are rare in horses, and hepatocellular carcinoma has been reported in only 1 other horse. The systemic manifestations of the tumor in this filly included weakness, weight loss, inappetence, erythr...
Ostrowski SR, Gunter EW, Matte TD.During the course of an investigation into community lead poisoning near a secondary lead smelter in Jamaica, blood lead and zinc protoporphyrin levels were measured in 8 exposed and 6 (3 Jamaican, 3 US) unexposed donkeys and mules. The blood lead levels of 6 animals in the contaminated area ranged from 7.5 to 33 micrograms/dl (mean = 17.6 micrograms/dl), compared to 1.8 and 2.4 in unexposed Jamaican animals. More striking was the difference in zinc protoporphyrin levels; all 8 exposed donkeys and mules had values between 900 and 1890 micrograms/dl, compared with a range of 34-46 micrograms/dl...
Ohshima K, Satake S, Ono M, Ajito T, Okada K, Numakunai S.A pathological study was performed on osteoarthrosis detected at autopsy in 20 horses whose ages ranged from 21 days to 17 years old. They were asymptomatic on the joints except in 3 animals, and autopsied after death or sacrificed due to accidental fracture or other diseases. Lesions of osteoarthrosis were recognized in all horses, which tended to increase in incidence and severity according to age. Lesions were concentrated at hinged joints such as the elbow, fetlock, and hock. Synovial fossae and ulcerative lesions were observed on each opposite articular cartilage, forming the so-called mi...
Drudge JH, Lyons ET, Tolliver SC, Fallon EH.Clinical trials on a central Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm (B) during 1960-1961 involved nine test treatments of mares, yearlings and weanlings (n = 124), and compared efficacies of phenothiazine (PTZ), piperazine (PPZ), mixtures of PTZ + PPZ and thiabendazole (TBZ) for (1) percent reduction and (2) complete clearance or graded reduction of strongyle egg per gram (epg) counts. Three grades of PTZ (N.F. green, micronized purified and 2-3 microns purified) at the dose rate of 55 mg kg-1 were ineffective in six tests; reduction of strongyle epg count were low grade (26%) and complete clearance was f...
Mollerach-Gobbi B, Retegui LA, Peña C.The immunochemical behavior of several fragments of equine growth hormone (eGH) was examined using competitive binding assays with antibodies (Abs) to eGH obtained from different sources. Antigenicity was detected within the sequences 5-72 and 73-123 by rabbit Abs to eGH and by three mouse monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) produced by using bovine growth hormone as immunogen, but showing heteroclitic properties towards eGH. The polyclonal Abs to eGH also recognized as immunoreactive two smaller peptides corresponding to the amino acid residues 52-72 and 110-123. By contrast, the heteroclitic Abs to...
Morris EA, Seeherman HJ.Forty-six racehorses with a history of poor performance underwent endoscopic evaluation of laryngeal and pharyngeal function while exercising on a high-speed treadmill. This evaluation allowed the definitive diagnosis of intermittent or continual upper respiratory tract obstruction as a cause of poor performance, as well as the documentation of the dynamic functional anatomy of the obstruction. Ten of the horses (22%) were determined to have a functional abnormality of the upper respiratory tract. These abnormalities included epiglottic entrapment (1 horse), persistent dorsal displacement of t...
Ekfalck A.A method was developed for separating different layers of the matrix of the equine hoof wall by dissection, and the layers were then analyzed with respect to their amino acid composition. The results were used to compare the biochemistry of hard keratinization (e.g., in the hoof wall matrix) and soft keratinization (e.g., in the epidermis of the skin). Hard keratinization differed from soft keratinization not only by its previously well known high incorporation of cystine, but also by considerable incorporation of tyrosine and threonine into the outer layers of the keratogenous zone and by the...
Ungar-Waron H, Braverman Y, Gluckman A, Trainin Z.Summer seasonal recurrent dermatitis (SSRD) or "sweet itch" is a seasonally occurring allergic dermatitis of horses provoked by biting midges. The allergic skin reactions have been attributed to allergens present in various Culicoides species. C. imicola is the suspected etiological agent of SSRD in Israel. Whole body extracts of this midge induced hypersensitivity reactions upon injection into susceptible horses and in this study attempts were made to define components of C. imicola which have immunogenic and allergenic properties. Immunogenic potency was evaluated by raising antisera to whol...
Mair TS, Taylor FG, Hillyer MH.Autoimmune haemolytic anaemia was diagnosed in eight horses on the basis of a positive Coomb's test. The disease was considered to be idiopathic in three cases and secondary to another condition in five. The clinical signs included dullness and depression, pyrexia, jaundice and haemoglobinuria. In addition to anaemia, haematological evaluation commonly revealed auto-agglutination of red cells and anisocytosis; reticulocytosis and an increased mean corpuscular volume were less commonly observed. Four horses were successfully treated with dexamethasone, but the other four were destroyed or died ...
Jann HW, Rains JR.The location and size of 11 retained testes were accurately determined ultrasonographically. There was 100% correlation between the location of the testis determined by ultrasound vs that determined by surgery. Testicular size determined presurgically in all cases closely approximated the actual size obtained by gross measurement of the excised testis. The cryptorchid testicular echotexture was less dense than that of the normal descended testicles, but was easily identified. Ultrasonographic evaluations were completed by use of an ultrasound base unit with attached 5-MHz transrectal transduce...
Dixon PM, McGorum B.Two horses on separate farms developed severe obstructive pulmonary disease in successive years during the early summer months. In both cases clinical remission of the respiratory distress was achieved by moving the animals to different environments. The suggested aetiology for this outdoor chronic respiratory disease is a pulmonary allergy to pollen. Both animals were also shown to suffer from classical chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, i.e., obstructive pulmonary disease in the presence of hay and, or, straw.
Bennett MF.To test a claim that counts of the eggs of large strongyles or bloodworms, parasites of equines, are greater in morning fecal samples than in those from later in the day, and therefore, may be indicators of circadian variations in these worms, samples from one pony and nine horses were analyzed for strongyle eggs. Samples were collected twice per day, about 7:30 and again about 19:30, during two, 24-day periods. Individual counts varied from 0 to 1184. The mean of all 7:30 counts was 212.52; that of 19:30 counts was 236.03. The difference is not significant, and does not support the idea of ci...
Troedsson M, Concha C, Einarsson S, Holmberg O.From 6 mares with chronic uterine infection, polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) were obtained from the uterus. In order to recover an adequate number of viable PMNs, 0.1% oyster glycogen was infused into the uterus as a mild irritant 12 h prior to the uterine flushing. Phagocytosis and chemotaxis of the uterine derived PMNs were determined. The supernatant from the uterine flushing was compared with autologous serum for its capacity as an opsonin and chemoattractant. There was a significant increase of both phagocytosis and chemotaxis when autologous serum was used compared with the supernat...
Trent AM, Krook L.Bilateral degenerative coxofemoral joint disease and noninflammatory osteonecrosis in the femoral heads were diagnosed in a 5-month-old Standardbred colt. Cytologic evaluation and bacterial cultures of coxofemoral synovial fluid, and radiographic and pathologic examination of the coxofemoral joints were conducted. The cause was not determined; however, a thrombus found in association with 1 focus of osteonecrosis was suspected as an etiologic factor.
Markel MD.Results of these studies have demonstrated that colopexy of the left large colon to the abdominal wall is a relatively simple and quick procedure that is permanent 1 year after surgery. The technique does not appear to be associated with long-term weight loss or abdominal pain after surgery. It has been used in pregnant mares, both experimentally and clinically, without apparent complications. In addition, horses used for pleasure-riding and show hunting have returned to performance and have not had complications. Large colon resection is a useful technique, especially for animals with strangu...
Larson VL, Busch RH.Differential cell counts were done on bronchial lavage specimens from 166 horses. Postmortem gross and histologic examinations were done to determine the pathologic diagnosis of the lungs from these horses. Ninety-two (55%) were normal, 18 (11%) had interstitial pneumonia, 13 (8%) had bronchopneumonia, 13 (8%) had focal eosinophilia, 11 (7%) had diffuse eosinophilia, 11 (7%) had chronic bronchitis, and 8 (5%) had suppurative bronchitis. Little relationship was found between cellular features of the lavage specimens and the pathologic status of the lungs of individual horses.
Risso A, Campos G, Garcia H, Zerpa H.Equine piroplasmosis (EP) is a tick-borne infectious disease highly prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions, such as Venezuela. EP affects wild and domestic equids leading to several clinical presentations, from asymptomatic to severely affected animals. In this study, thirty-three (33) sport horses under regular training activities and from endemic regions of north-central Venezuela were submitted to an observational survey, case-control, to describe the presence of clinical signs and natural EP infections. A conventional PCR assay targeting the SSU rRNA gene revealed EP etiologic agent...
Ryu SH, Bak UB, Lee CW, Lee YL.A 13-year-old Thoroughbred mare, retired from race, was admitted to Equine Hospital, Korea Racing Association with signs of colic. One and a half months following the previous treatment (second time) and 11 days following her previous discharge (third time), the mare repeatedly exhibited signs of colic and finally along with icteric eyes. Routine medical treatment with intravenous fluids, analgesics resulted in resolution of signs of colic in the first and second admission. The condition of the mare did not improve in the third admission despite over one month supportive treatment and she was ...
Rahnama S, Vathsangam N, Spence R, Anderson ST, de Laat MA, Bailey S, Sillence MN.Prolonged hyperinsulinemia is thought to be the cause of equine endocrinopathic laminitis, a common and crippling disease of the foot, for which there are no pharmacologic treatments other than pain relief. It has been suggested that insulin causes its effects on the lamellae by activating IGF-1 receptors (IGF-1R), as insulin receptors (InsR) are scarce in this tissue, whereas IGF-1R are abundant and become downregulated after prolonged insulin infusion. As a first step toward confirming this mechanism and beginning to develop a therapeutic anti-IGF-1R monoclonal antibody (mAb) for horses, it ...
Santos M, López-Sanromán J, García-Iturralde P, Fuente M, Tendillo FJ.To determine the cardiopulmonary effects of desflurane (DES) in horses. Methods: Six healthy adult horses, three males and three females, aged 9 +/- 4 (mean +/- SD) years and weighing 370 +/- 36 kg. Methods: Anaesthesia was induced with an O2 (10 L minute(-1)) and DES mixture (vaporizer setting 18%). After oro-tracheal intubation, horses were positioned in right lateral recumbency. Anaesthesia was maintained with DES in O2 (20 mL kg(-1) minute(-1)) delivered through a large animal circle breathing system. The minimum alveolar concentration of DES (MAC(DES)) that prevented purposeful movement i...
Hornyák A, Bakonyi T, Kulik M, Kecskeméti S, Rusvai M.The occurrence of two important pathogens, equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV1) and equine arteritis virus (EAV) causing abortions, perinatal foal mortality and respiratory disease, was investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and virus isolation to demonstrate the presence of abortigenic viruses in samples from 248 horse fetuses in Hungary. We found 26 EHV1- and 4 EAV-positive aborted or prematurely born foals from 16 and 4 outbreaks, respectively, proving that despite the widely applied vaccination, EHV1 is a far more important cause of abortions in the studs than EAV. We compared the virus co...
Junge HK, Ringer SK, Mayer N, Schwarzwald CC.To assess the measurement reliability of rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) measurements in horses, establish reference intervals for healthy horses, and evaluate the relationship between ROTEM variables, hematologic variables, and standard coagulation tests. Methods: Prospective observational study. Methods: University teaching hospital. Methods: Fifty healthy and 10 diseased adult horses. Methods: None. Results: Blood was sampled from 10 healthy and 10 diseased horses and samples were repeatedly analyzed to evaluate measurement reliability of various ROTEM variables. Four different ROTEM ...
Ayad A, Besseboua O, Aissanou S, Stefaniuk-Szmukier M, Piórkowska K, Musiał AD, Długosz B, Kozłowska A, Ropka-Molik K.Genetic disorders are recognised as hereditary diseases with the most significant economic impact on horse breeding, causing important foal losses, costs of treatments of horses, and maintenance of the mare during the pregnancy. The Selle Francais horses are recognized in many countries and are showing great results in equestrian sports around the world (dressage, show jumping and eventing). The study aimed to detect the presence of three mutant alleles associated with inherited diseases including Fragile Foal Syndrome (FFS), Cerebellar Abiotrophy (CA), Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy (PSSM1) ...
Ilić T, Bogunović D, Nenadović K, Gajić B, Dimitrijević S, Popović G, Kulišić Z, Milosavljević P.Data on gastrointestinal infections in horses in Southeastern Europe are limited; thus, this study aimed to add to the existing knowledge on this topic by reporting on the prevalence of intestinal parasites of horses in the territory of the Republic of Serbia. Methods: In the period from April 2017 to December 2018, parasitological examination of 548 samples from horses of different breed, age and sex from four regions and 18 districts of the country was performed. Coprological diagnostic was done by using qualitative methods without concentration and qualitative methods with concentration of ...
Mulville P.In the late 1970s, a new infectious disease in horses, involving acute enteritis, was recognised in the Potomac River area of Maryland, U.S.A. The causative agent was identified subsequently as a new species of rickettsial organism, later named Ehrlichia risticii. Since then, the disease has been reported in many other states, and in enzootic areas vaccination is common. Signs associated with the clinical disease included depression, fever, anorexia, decreased or absent intestinal sounds, profuse watery diarrhoea and laminitis. However, considerable variation in clinical manifestations has bee...
Young AC, Dimock AN, Puchalski SM, Murphy B, Spriet M.Osseous resorption of the flexor surface of the distal phalanx of the horse has been identified previously using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging; however, little is known about the prevalence and characteristics of this lesion. Objective: To establish the MR prevalence of resorptive lesions in the flexor surface of the distal phalanx and identify concurrent lesions associated with this finding and associations between the MR and radiographic findings. Methods: Horses with distal extremity MR and radiographs performed within 2 weeks of each other were included in the study. The flexor surface o...
Brook D.A guarded, sterile swab is used to obtain samples for uterine culture. With the mare in stocks, the tail bandage and the perineum washed, the culture rod is introduced into the vagina with a gloved hand. After the rod is guided through the cervix, the guard cap is dislodged and the swab is rubbed along the endometrium, after which the rod is extracted. Samples for uterine culture should only be obtained during full estrus. Swabs should be directly plated onto agar within 2 hours of collection. Blood agar is appropriate for initial screening, but use of specialized types of agar expedites ident...
Tukia E, Wagner B, Vainio K, Mönki J, Kareskoski M.Postpartum metritis in mares is a life-threatening condition associated with severe clinical signs due to endotoxemia, and it is often followed by complications such as laminitis. Repeated large-volume uterine lavages are commonly recommended as a part of the treatment protocol to remove endotoxin-laden contents from the uterus. It has, however, also been suggested that lavages may increase the uptake of endotoxin into the circulation, leading to a deterioration of clinical signs. Endotoxemia is associated with the release of a multitude of inflammatory mediators regulating the immune response...
Winfield LD, White SD, Affolter VK, Renier AC, Dawson D, Olivry T, Outerbridge CA, Wang YH, Iyori K, Nishifuji K.To describe the clinical, histological and immunological findings of an equine case of pemphigus vulgaris, including the demonstration of antidesmoglein (anti-Dsg) autoantibodies. Methods: The diagnosis of pemphigus vulgaris was confirmed in a 9-year-old Welsh pony stallion with both direct and indirect immunofluorescence and immunoprecipitation studies, the latter identifying circulating anti-Dsg3 IgG. Treatment with immunosuppressive medications was initiated. Lesions were seen in the perineal area, sheath, mane, tail, eyelids, coronary bands and mucosa of the mouth and oesophagus. Initial c...
Lyons ET, Tolliver SC, Drudge JH.Seven critical tests in equids were conducted with single doses of fenbendazole (5 mg kg-1) alone (Panacur--American Hoechst, Somerville, NJ); (2 tests with paste and 1 with suspension formulation) or in combination with piperazine (American Hoechst); (40 mg base kg-1); (4 tests with paste formulation). The main purpose of the tests was evaluation of activity against benzimidazole-resistant small strongyles (Cyathostomum catinatum, Cyathostomum coronatum, Cylicocyclus nassatus, Cylicostephanus goldi, and Cylicostephanus longibursatus). Natural infections of 2 populations of benzimidazole-resis...
Skelton JA, Hawkins JF, Rochat MC.A 13-year-old 128-kg miniature donkey gelding was evaluated for right forelimb lameness of 7 weeks' duration. Muscular atrophy of the infraspinatus and supraspinatus muscles over the right scapula with a palpable bony prominence over the point of the shoulder was evident. At the walk, the cranial phase of the stride was reduced with adduction of the distal aspect of the limb, dragging of the toe, and lameness (grade, 4/5). Lateral and craniocaudal radiographs of the right shoulder joint revealed lateral luxation of the humerus in relation to the scapula with bony proliferation and remodeling o...
Szeredi L, Jánosi S, Tenk M.Klebsiella (K.) oxytoca infection induced the abortion of a female equine fetus in the 10th month of pregnancy. Bacteria were cultured from the liver, lung and stomach content. They were labelled with an anti-Mycobacterium bovis antibody in the thymus, liver and lungs and were stained with Giemsa and Brown-Brenn staining in the thymus and lung. The diffusely consolidated lungs contained numerous grey-whitish foci 2-4 mm in diameter, which corresponded to severe pyogranulomatous pneumonia characterised by numerous intraalveolar neutrophils and macrophages and multinucleated Langhans' giant cell...
Duarte PC, Ribeiro RM, Machado ART, Faleiros RR, Pimenta LPS, Filho JDS.The incidence of equine metabolic syndrome, a condition that results in endocrinopathic laminitis, is increasing worldwide. Although it is well known that the development of this syndrome depends on imbalances in energy metabolism and genetic traits, its pathophysiology remains unclear. Hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance (H NMR) is a powerful tool used to compare metabolic profiles and to discriminate metabolites in living beings. The aim was to apply this technology to detect blood biomarkers candidates in horses that were previously demonstrated to developed metabolic changes when subjected...
Collier MA, Kallfelz FA, Rendano VT, Krook LP, Schryver HF.The use of capacitively coupled low-voltage signals for stimulation of osteogenesis has been reported in a variety of animal models. Electrically induced osteogenesis was investigated with a capacitively coupled electric field on a radius (distal-lateral orientation) osteotomy model, in conjunction with internal fixation and postoperative loading. Twelve adult horses of either sex were allotted to 2 groups of 6; 1 group was given electrical stimulation and the other served as controls. A low-voltage high-frequency capacitively coupled electrical signal was locally and continuously applied to t...
Garber JL, Reef VB, Reimer JM.Sonographic findings correlated with necropsy findings in 8 of 9 horses in which the cranial portion of the mediastinum was evaluated by use of both methods. Cranial mediastinal masses were imaged as multilobular and homogeneously hypoechoic; a complex echogenic pattern was observed with necrosis within the mass. Pleural effusion was a common finding in horses with mediastinal lymphosarcoma. Cytologic evaluation of pleural fluid samples was useful in diagnosis of lymphosarcoma in 10 of 12 horses that had thoracentesis. Sonographic examination of the thorax and cranial portion of the mediastinu...
Onder Z, Duzlu O, Yildirim A, Ciloglu A, Okur M, Inci A.This study reports intense horn fly infestations of horses raised in an important wetland ecosystem, Sultan Marshes in Central Anatolia, Turkey. In total, seven horses raised together were found to be harbored over 500 flies per site of each animal. Totally, 376 fly specimens were collected from the horses by using the nets and were subjected to the laboratory for species identification. All flies were morphologically identified as the adults of Haematobia irritans. Partial fragments of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (mt-COI) gene from totally 50 isolates were amplified for sequence and ph...
Roncoron C, Fagiolo A, Amoruso C, De Liberato C.Species of Anoplocephalidae are cestodes affecting equines worldwide and causing many intestinal disorders. Between October 2010 and September 2013, 284 faecal samples of horses originating from Lazio Region (Central Italy) were tested for the presence of Anoplocephala sp. eggs by a classic copromicroscopic technique. Data regarding pasture‑dependence/non dependence, age, and sex of the horses were also collected. Statistical analysis, aimed at detecting possible associations between these variables and Anoplocephala sp. prevalence, was performed. Anoplocephala sp. eggs were found in 13% of ...
Barbis DP, Bainbridge D, Crump AL, Zhang CH, Antczak DF.A panel of monoclonal antibodies was used to characterize the expression of equine Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) class II antigens on lymphocytes of horses of different MHC types. MHC class II antigen expression was compared between adult horses and foals, and the level of expression of MHC class II antigens on horse T cell subpopulations was also determined. Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from young and adult healthy horses of different MHC haplotypes were labeled with the antibodies and assayed by single- and two-color immunofluorescence flow cytometry. A variation in the expres...
Apprich V, Licka T, Zipfl N, Tichy A, Gabriel C.Hoof canker is described as progressive pododermatitis of the equine hoof with absent epidermal cornification and extensive proliferation of the dermal papillary body; however, in-depth research on the type of proliferative activity has not yet been reported. The aim of the present study was to determine cell-specific proliferation patterns together with morphological analysis of hoof canker tissue. Tissues removed during surgery from 19 horses presented for treatment of canker were compared with similar postmortem tissues of healthy hooves of 10 horses. Morphological alterations visible in li...
Coudry V, Jean D, Desbois C, Tnibar A, Laugier C, George C.Ventricular dysrhythmias are more commonly associated with myocardial disease than are supraventricular dysrhythmias. Management of arrhythmias under general anesthesia is difficult because of the dysrhythmogenic effects of the anesthetic drugs. This report describes a severe ventricular dysrhythmia observed in a pony under general anesthesia, with a severe and old myocardial fibrosis found on postmortem examination. Fibrose du myocarde chez un cheval présentant de la tachycardie ventriculaire polymorphe observée au cours d’une anesthésie générale. Les dysrythmies ventriculaires sont pl...
Patterson-Kane JC, Bain FT, Donahue JM, Harrison LR.A neonatal Thoroughbred foal was presented with rib fractures and left forelimb lameness secondary to dystocia. Results: The foal developed a head tilt, seizures and watery diarrhoea during hospitalisation and died at 7 days of age. Histological examination of the brain and spinal cord revealed a suppurative meningoencephalomyelitis with vasculitis, and numerous intralesional, gram-negative bacilli. Similar microscopic lesions were noted in the lungs, renal medullary interstitium, and umbilicus. Bacilli in the brain, spinal cord and umbilicus were identified immunohistochemically as Salmonella...
Grünig G, Witschi U, Winder C, Hermann M, von Fellenberg R.Supernatants of equine respiratory secretions enhanced the migration of equine neutrophils into the lower compartments of Boyden chambers. Checkerboard analysis revealed that the neutrophil migration promoting activity (NMPA) of secretion specimens was in great part caused by chemokinesis, irrespective of the neutrophil score of the specimen. The NMPA of respiratory secretions was correlated neither with the neutrophil score of the secretion specimen nor with the severity of the chronic pulmonary disease. Respiratory secretions collected while horses were kept under low dust or under dusty hou...
Chalmers HJ, Viel L, Caswell JL, Ducharme N.To describe the ultrasonographic changes in the cricoarytenoideus dorsalis (CAD) and cricoarytenoideus lateralis (CAL) muscles of horses before and at various times during the 32 weeks after unilateral neurectomy of the right recurrent laryngeal nerve. Methods: 28 healthy Standardbreds. Methods: For each horse, the appearance of the CAD and CAL muscles on the right (neurectomized) and left (control) sides was serially monitored ultrasonographically by percutaneous (CAD and CAL) and transesophageal (CAD) approaches. The ultrasonographic images were assessed to determine the mean pixel intensity...