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Topic:Disease Diagnosis
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.
The use of radionuclide bone scanning in the diagnosis of tibial ‘stress’ fractures in the horse: a review of five cases. Five horses, all two year old Thoroughbreds, presented with acute onset hindlimb lameness following moderate to fast exercise. The use of a hand-held scintillation detector after Tc99 MDP injection greatly aided the diagnosis of tibial stress fractures in these horses. Radiological findings were subtle, involving only periosteal new bone and callus at the fracture site. In two cases this took several weeks to develop but in three others was present at the onset of lameness, indicating insidious pre-fracture bone pathology. The site of the most obvious radiological signs was constant in all fiv...
Projectile dart foreign body in a horse. A 3-year-old Welsh pony mare was referred for evaluation of right hind limb lameness. The lameness developed 4 months after the pony had been captured by use of a projectile dart syringe to administer a tranquilizer. The lameness was attributable to a projectile dart foreign body. The dart was removed after induction of local anesthesia, and the lameness improved. The use of projected syringes has inherent risk, and clients should be advised before they are used.
Incidence, location and classification of 371 third carpal bone fractures in 313 horses. The medical records and radiographs of all horses with a third carpal bone fracture admitted to The Ohio State University Veterinary Hospital from 1979 to 1987 were reviewed. Three hundred and seventy-one fractures were found in 313 horses; 57 percent were Standardbreds, 41 per cent were Thoroughbreds, and only 1.6 per cent were Quarterhorses. All were young racehorses (average age = 3.1 years). Third carpal fractures occurred more frequently in the right limb (60 percent) than the left limb (40 percent); Thoroughbreds had a greater right-left disparity (67.5 percent R, 27.1 per cent L). Fract...
Isolation and characterization of monoclonal antibodies against an attenuated vaccine strain of equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1). The production and differentiation of monoclonal antibodies (mabs) against the Rac-H strain of EHV-1 used as an attenuated live vaccine to prevent rhinopneumonitis and abortion is described. Seven different antigenic sites were detected by the 15 mabs produced. EHV-1 specific mabs as well as EHV-1 and -4 common mabs could be established, allowing easy typing of EHV isolates. One mab recognized the vaccine strain only. This reaction was used to investigate a possible involvement of the vaccine strain in cases of abortion. Common antigenic determinants with EHV-1,-3,-4 and BHV-1 could also be de...
The pattern of venous drainage of the equine ileocaecal junction. The veins draining the ileocaecal junctions of horses (n = 19), donkeys (n = 3) and a plains zebra, (Equus burchelli antiquorum) were injected with latex via the ileocolic vein, and dissected. In all specimens the ileocaecal papilla was drained by 2 major papillary veins: one cranial and one caudal to the papilla. A smaller dorsal vein drained either into the cranial or into the caudal vein. The submucosal veins seemed to increase in number in the ileocaeacal junction to form a venous plexus. This plexus, together with veins from the caecum and the distal ileum immediately bordering the ileoca...
Cruciate and collateral ligament failure in the equine stifle: seven cases (1975-1985). Medical records of 7 adult horses with single or multiple ligament failure of the femorotibial ligaments were reviewed to evaluate signalment, history, diagnostic and treatment methods, outcome, and long-term follow-up information. Acute onset of lameness was recorded for most of the horses. Horses with multiple ligament injury had more severe clinical signs than did horses with single ligament injury. Horses with single ligament injury generally required manipulative tests to localize the lameness to the stifle. In all horses, radiography of the stifle assisted in the diagnosis. Horses either...
Application of cloned fragments of equine herpesvirus type-1 DNA for detection of virus-specific DNA in equine tissues. Tissue specimens obtained from equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1), subtype 1-infected aborted foetuses were analysed for the presence of virus DNA by means of Southern blot and dot blot hybridisations. The specificity of the methods was confirmed although the sensitivity was inferior to classical techniques such as virus isolation. However, the possibility of detecting the state of the virus DNA and the ability to distinguish between subtypes were important features, and the dot blot method was shown to have potential for a rapid diagnostic test. This report demonstrates some potential practical app...
Hypovolemia, hyperosmolality, and acidosis associated with intraperitoneal infusion of nitrofurazone solution in healthy horses. Nitrofurazone solution containing 0.2% nitrofurazone and 99.8% polyethylene glycol was given to 4 healthy horses (2 L in 2 L of lactated Ringer solution, intraperitoneally). Horses developed hypovolemia, hyperosmolality, and mixed respiratory and metabolic acidosis. These changes were largely attributable to polyethylene glycol, but a contribution of nitrofurazone cannot be excluded. Intraperitoneal infusion of nitrofurazone solution in horses is contraindicated.
Bony fragments in the tarsocrural and metacarpo- or metatarsophalangeal joints in the standardbred horse–a radiographic survey. Radiographic examination of the tarsocrural, metacarpo- or metatarsophalangeal joints was made in 139 Standardbred horses. Most were under three years old with no history of orthopaedic problems. In the tarsocrural joint, osteochondrosis was observed in 25 (18.1 percent) of the horses (n = 138) and 14 (56 percent) of these were affected bilaterally. In the metatarsophalangeal joint, the most frequent radiographic abnormality was single or multiple bony fragments or defects at the plantar proximal end of the proximal phalanx, which was noticed in 40 (28.8 percent) of the horses (n = 139). The l...
Factors influencing the ingestion of Onchocerca cervicalis microfilariae by Culicoides variipennis (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae). Culicoides variipennis were fed under controlled conditions on two ponies that exhibited seasonal changes in Onchocerca cervicalis microfilarial (mf) skin density and skin distribution. The seasonal changes did not radically affect mf ingestion. Flies were fed on the umbilicus of infected ponies by two methods: individual feeding in consecutive order at the same site, or by mass feeding. Linear regression analysis indicated that ingestion of microfilaria was independent of feeding time and engorged weight. In the individual feeding data, there was a trend toward an increased ingestion of mf as...
Evaluation of equine locomotion during different degrees of experimentally induced lameness. II: Distribution of ground reaction force patterns of the concurrently loaded limbs. Force plate and high-speed film data from a group of six walking horses were used to study the distribution of the ground reaction forces (GRF) of the concurrently loaded limbs. Three different degrees of supporting lameness were induced in a forelimb or a hindlimb using modified horse shoes. In all experiments the alterations in the distribution in the transverse horizontal GRF (Fx) were small. During unilateral forelimb lameness, the decreased longitudinal horizontal GRF (Fy) was compensated by an increase of the Fy forces of the contralateral forelimb and the ipsilateral hindlimb. The decre...
Epiglottic entrapment. A transnasal surgical approach to divide the aryepiglottic fold axially in the standing horse. Transnasal, axial division of the aryepiglottic fold was performed to correct entrapment of the epiglottis in 20 sedated, standing horses, using a hooked bistoury and topical anesthesia. Presenting complaints included decreased exercise tolerance or loss of racing performance, abnormal respiratory noise, and coughing. The surgical procedure was technically easy to perform with a minimum of instrumentation. The horses were rested an average of 18 days before race training or riding was resumed. Evaluation of racing records or contact with owners indicated that most affected horses competed succ...
Equine Cushing’s disease: differential regulation of beta-endorphin processing in tumors of the intermediate pituitary. Equine Cushing's disease is caused by an adenomatous hyperplasia of the intermediate pituitary which secretes high levels of beta-endorphin, ACTH, and other peptide derivatives of POMC. In the present study we found that plasma and cerebrospinal fluid immunoreactive beta-endorphin (i beta-endorphin) levels were 60- and 120-fold higher than control values in horses with Cushing's disease. There were no significant differences in intermediate lobe i beta-endorphin concentrations, although anterior lobe i beta-endorphin was significantly reduced in Cushing's horses, presumably because high levels...
Fasciola in horses in the Republic of South Africa: a single natural case of Fasciola hepatica and the failure to infest ten horses either with F. hepatica or Fasciola gigantica. The faeces of 11 horses were examined for Fasciola spp. eggs. One of them was positive for Fasciola hepatica, a finding which was confirmed post-mortem. The 10 negative horses were subsequently infested with either F. hepatica or Fasciola gigantica, each animal receiving orally from 500-9,500 metacercariae. No clinical signs were observed and no fluke eggs were detected in the faeces, and neither immature nor adult Fasciola worms were recovered from the horses slaughtered 16-26 weeks post-infestation with F. hepatica and 28-34 weeks post-infestation with F. gigantica, respectively. The results...
Immunoassay detection of drugs in racing horses. VII. Detection of acepromazine in equine urine and blood by ELISA and PCFIA. We have developed and evaluated a one step enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test and a particle concentration fluorescence immunoassay (PCFIA) test for acepromazine as part of a panel of pre- and post-race tests for illegal medications in racing horses. These tests are rapid, sensitive and economical and development of the tests occurred in less than seven months. The ELISA test detects acepromazine with an I-50 of about 150 pg/ml. In vivo, it readily detects the presence of acepromazine or its metabolites in equine blood and urine from 8 to 72 hours or longer, respectively, after adm...
Enumeration of anaerobic bacterial microflora of the equine gastrointestinal tract. Samples from the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum, as well as from the cecum and colon, were obtained from 11 mature grass-fed horses. Viable counts of total culturable and proteolytic bacteria were made on habitat-simulating media containing 40% clarified ruminal fluid. The mean pHs in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum were 6.32, 7.10, and 7.47, respectively; the mean pH decreased to 6.7 in the hindgut. The acetate concentration increased along the length of the small intestine and was the only volatile fatty acid present in this gut segment. Molar proportions of acetate, propionate, and butyrate ...
Some observations on lameness associated with pain in the proximal metacarpal region. The carpus and metacarpus of 40 horses which were free from lameness and 40 horses with lameness associated with the metacarpophalangeal joint or more distal limb were examined radiographically (Group A). The opacity of the proximal third of the third metacarpal bone was regular, with a uniform trabecular pattern. Osseous cyst-like lesions (OCLLs) were identified in the radial carpal bone (1), the ulnar carpal bone (2), the second carpal bone (15) and the fourth carpal bone (1). Thirty-one of 638 horses (4.8 percent) with forelimb lameness had pain localised to the proximal metacarpal region u...
cis- and trans-acting regulation of gene expression of equine infectious anemia virus. Deletion analysis of the equine infectious anemia virus long terminal repeat revealed that sequences responsive to virus-specific transactivation are located within the region spanning the transcriptional start site (-31 to +22). In addition, an active exon of a trans-acting factor (tat) was identified downstream of pol and overlapping env (nucleotides 5264 to 5461). Activation by tat is accompanied by an increase in the steady-state levels of mRNA directed by the equine infectious anemia virus long terminal repeat.
