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.
Platt H.Vascular malformations and angiomas are rather uncommon in horses and the literature concerning these lesions is reviewed. The pathology is described in 10 additional cases. These lesions were classified as arteriovenous malformation (one case), haemangiomas (six cases), 'proliferative angiomas' (two cases) and lymphangioma (one case). The haemangiomas and lymphangioma were probably hamartomatous in origin. Both cases of 'proliferative angioma' developed in aged animals and their pathogenesis was uncertain. More information is needed on the natural history and behaviour of lesions of this type...
Morris DD, Gaulin G, Strzemienski PJ, Spencer P.Comparison of neutrophil function was made between 8 clinically normal pony foals (3 to 7 days of age), and their dams. Random migration, stimulated migration to zymosan-activated serum, bacterial phagocytosis and bactericidal capacity of neutrophils were determined in vitro. Random migration was greater (P less than 0.01) and stimulated migration was less (P less than 0.01) in foals than in their dams. Bacterial phagocytosis and bactericidal capacity of neutrophils were not different (P greater than 0.05) between foals and mares. Results of this study suggested that neonatal foals have altere...
Ignatchenko AP, Bogomaz VI, Tugaĭ VA, Chuĭko AA.Biospecific sorbents for affinity chromatography of proteolytic enzymes have been synthesized by attaching cyclopeptide antibiotic gramicidin S to organo-silica supports. It is shown possible to attach gramicidin S to the organo-silica supports using glutaric aldehyde, p-benzoquinone, soluble and insoluble carbodiimides. The sorbents prepared by these methods were successfully applied for the purification of the crude pepsin from horse gastric juice and proteolytic complex produced by Acremonium chrysogenum.
Bridges CG, Edington N.Six Welsh Mountain pony foals were experimentally infected with a subtype 2 isolate of Equid Herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) and subsequently examined for T cell mediated cytotoxicity against both subtypes. Cytotoxicity was not observed at 3 or 7 days after primary exposure but virus-specific, and genetically restricted, cytotoxicity of EHV-1-labelled autologous skin fibroblasts could be demonstrated 7 and 21 days after the animals were given a second exposure to live virus. Killing of subtype 2 antigen-labelled targets was more efficient than subtype 1 coated cells. This finding was paralleled by the o...
Wright JA, Fordyce P, Edington N.Ultrastructural lesions of the cranial nerves and their ganglia and the autonomic nervous system from 5 cases of neuritis of the cauda equina in the horse are described. They include lysosomal inclusions within the semilunar, geniculate and sympathetic chain ganglia, granulomatous involvement of the coeliaco-mesenteric ganglion and accumulation of axonal organelles in unmyelinated fibres of the great splanchnic nerve, sympathetic chain and oesophageal vagus.
Weiser MG.Using a single channel electronic cell counter and attached particle size analyzer, leukocyte size distribution histograms were determined on canine, feline, bovine, and equine blood diluted with chloride-based diluent and treated with a conventional stromatolysin. Histograms were usually unimodal, but a few were bimodal. Mean values for mean lysed leukocyte particle volume were 49.2, 51.1, 55.4, and 65.0 fl for canine, feline, equine, and bovine blood, respectively. From inspection of histograms, a lower threshold of 30 fl referenced to latex spheres was interpreted to be appropriate for coun...
Kikuchi N, Iguchi I, Hiramune T.A survey of K. pneumoniae was performed on cervical swabs, feces and nasal swabs of mares and on samples from the genital tract of stallions from 1980 to 1986 in south-western Hokkaido, Japan. K1 was the predominant type (79 of 88, 89.8%) in the metritis cases due to K. pneumoniae in mares of racing breeds. The same type was isolated from semen and swabs of the fossa glandis of 6 of 20 (30.0%) of the stallions of racing breeds. Heavily encapsulated and less heavily encapsulated K1 strains were isolated from the stallions. Mares bred to stallions carrying heavily encapsulated strains developed ...
Barton MD, Embury DH.Pyogranulomatous pneumonia was induced in Thoroughbred foals by intranasal challenge with freeze-dried cultures of Rhodococcus equi (previously Corynebacterium equi). The incubation period was about 18 days and clinical signs were not seen for a further week. There were marked seasonal and individual foal differences in responses to infection. Elevations in serum caeruloplasmin oxidase activity and copper concentrations appeared to be sensitive indicators of infection. Serum zinc concentrations and serum alpha-mannosidase and alkaline phosphatase activities fell in the more severely infected f...
Fu ZF, Denby L, Lien DH, Robinson AJ.An indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for the detection of antibodies against equine herpesvirus type 2 (EHV-2) in equine sera. The optimal conditions of antigen concentration, and serum and conjugate dilutions were established by chequerboard titrations. When the standard ELISA test was used for titration of test sera, it was found to give titres approximately 1500 times higher than those obtained in the virus neutralization (VN) test, and a correlation coefficient of 0.815 was obtained between these two tests on 42 equine sera. All the positive serum samples by ...
Craig DR, Pankowski RL, Car BD, Hackett RP, Erb HN.Several surgical alternatives have been described for the management of cecal impaction in the horse, but none has met with consistently successful results. This study was done to evaluate a surgical bypass of the cecum by anastomosis of the ileum to the right ventral colon (ileocolostomy). A ventral midline celiotomy was performed on nine adult ponies (155-350 kg) and a mechanically stapled 10 cm side-to-side ileocolostomy was created. In five ponies a complete cecal bypass (CCB) was created by transecting the ileum distal to the anastomosis. In the other four, an incomplete cecal bypass (ICB...
Kuttler KL, Zaugg JL, Gipson CA.The therapeutic efficacies of imidocarb and parvaquone were tested against Babesia equi of European origin in carrier horses and for induced acute infections in splenectomized ponies. Imidocarb, at a dosage of 4 mg/kg of body weight, given IM at 72-hour intervals 4 times, was ineffective in eliminating B equi-carrier infection in 9 mature geldings. A single IM administration of 4 mg/kg was not therapeutic in acutely infected splenectomized ponies. When given at 3 different dosages and treatment schedules, parvaquone was ineffective in clearing carrier infection. Parvaquone given IM once at a d...
Johnson PJ, Goetz TE, Baker GJ, Foreman JH.Two mares were examined because of urinary incontinence. Abnormalities of the genitourinary tract were identified and were corrected surgically. Urinary incontinence in mares generally is associated with a poor prognosis. The importance of a thorough physical examination of the genitourinary tract in the mare is emphasized, and the simple and successful surgical correction of structural abnormalities of the tract in 2 mares is described.
Johnston JK, Neely DP, Latterman SA.A 4.5-month-old Standard-bred filly was referred for evaluation of pigmenturia. Initially, the pigmenturia had resolved with the administration of antibiotics, only to recur after their withdrawal. A dark red urine sample contained numerous RBC, WBC, and gram-negative rods (Escherichia coli). Ultrasonography revealed the right kidney to be large, with multiple cystic structures and a dilated renal pelvis and calices. Cystoscopy revealed a large blood clot within the bladder and urine coming from the left ureteral opening. Urine was not observed coming from the right ureter. It was suspected th...
Baker GJ, Moustafa MA, Boero MJ, Foreman JH, Wilson DA.The caudal cruciate ligament assists the medial femorotibial ligament in supporting the medial aspect of the femorotibial joint. It also limits the outward rotation of the tibia during weight bearing. In two lame horses tearing of the caudal portion of the femoral attachment of the caudal cruciate ligament was recorded together with cracking and tearing of the medial meniscus. In one case, synovitis and restrictive fibrous periarthritis were the sequelae of secondary stifle sepsis.
Clark ES, Reef VB, Sweeney CR, Lichtensteiger C.Aortic insufficiency was suspected in a thin 1-year-old colt with a grade IV/V decrescendo holodiastolic murmur and a bounding arterial pulse. Echocardiographic findings (diastolic fluttering of the septal leaflet of the mitral valve, left ventricular volume overload, and incomplete aortic valve closure) were diagnostic for aortic valve insufficiency. Moderately thick fibrotic aortic valve leaflets were found at necropsy. Fenestrations were found in the aortic and pulmonic valve cusps. Congenital valvular disease may have led to aortic valvular insufficiency in this horse.
Honnas CM, Snyder JR, Olander HJ, Wheat JD.A 21-year-old mare was evaluated for intermittent episodes of apparent abdominal pain of 6 month's duration. Abdominal palpation per rectum revealed distended small intestine in the caudal portion of the abdomen. Ventral midline celiotomy revealed a mass in the midjejunal region. The mass was resected, and a side-to-side anastomosis performed. The histologic diagnosis was tubular adenocarcinoma of the small intestine. The mare was still alive 13 months after surgery.
Nakazawa M, Isayama Y, Kashiwazaki M, Yasui T.A protein antigen that reacted in the agar gel diffusion (AGD) test and which had equi factor(s) activity, was partially purified from the culture supernatant of Rhodococcus equi by successive column chromatography on diethylaminoethyl cellulose and Sepharose 4B. Employing a standard foal serum, the concentration of this antigen was adjusted for the AGD test. Optimal dilutions of the antigen reacted in the AGD test with sera from foals naturally infected with serologically different R. equi. The antigen prepared was considered suitable for use in field surveys of R. equi infection. Accordingly...
Perdrizet JA, Callihan DR, Rebhun WC, Shin SJ.The clinical course and successful therapeutic management of a horse with malignant edema caused by Clostridium septicum is described. This is believed to be the first report of a horse surviving malignant edema caused by C. septicum. A discussion of this disease syndrome, including etiology, pathogenesis, clinical signs, therapy, and diagnostic methods is presented.
Rice DA, Rice JC.The time it takes audible sound to travel from the trachea to the pleura in five intact, excised horse lungs and one dog lung inflated with several gases was measured. Regression estimates of sound speed at total lung capacity (TLC) using straight line distance from the carina to the pleura are: helium, 775 +/- 60.5 m/s (means +/- 95% confidence limits); air, 282 +/- 23.5; carbon dioxide, 219 +/- 25.5; sulfur hexafluoride, 142 +/- 43.5. With the exception of sulfur hexafluoride, these speeds are 15%-20% less than the free-field speed of sound in each gas. Total airway length did not predict ti...
Johnston JK, Morris DD.Sixty-eight horses with colic caused by small intestinal disease were allotted into 2 groups of 34 on the basis of recorded findings during exploratory celiotomy, necropsy, or response to medical treatment alone. Signalment, history, physical examination findings, and laboratory findings were compared between the group of horses with small intestinal obstruction and the group with duodenitis/proximal jejunitis. A significantly greater proportion of horses with duodenitis/proximal jejunitis were older than 2 years old (P less than 0.05). Differences in sex or breed distribution, or in seasonali...
Morris DD, Whitlock RH.Equine antiserum to core lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was evaluated in a double-blind prospective study for therapeutic benefit in suspected septicemia in neonatal foals. Forty foals younger than 7 days of age were included in the study by satisfaction of clinical and laboratory criteria, suggestive of gram-negative septicemia. Twenty-two foals were treated with core LPS antiserum (plasma produced from horses which were hyperimmunized with rough gram-negative mutant bacterin) and 18 foals received "nonimmune" plasma (from horses prior to immunization against core LPS). All foals received antimicro...
Forster HV, Bisgard GE, Dempsey JA, Orr JA.Numerous studies have demonstrated the existence of an intracranial [H+] chemoreceptor mechanism capable of stimulating ventilation. 1 Supposedly, this chemoreceptor is located 0.2 mm below the surface of the ventrolateral side of the medulla and is responsive to [H+] in the surrounding cerebral extracellular fluid (ECF). During chronic conditions, ECF [H+] is supposedly in equilibrium with CSF [H+]; hence, stimulus level can be established through sampling and analysis of CSF. In this presentation, we summarize data from studies on spontaneously breathing, unanesthetized ponies which suggests...
Grigor'eva IA, Sergeevich EA, Lyskovtsev MM, Oleneva AG, Pushkarev VV.Dry erythrocytic diagnostic agents were obtained under experimental conditions for determination of antiglobulins forming in the organism of man and animals under the effect of serum preparations from the blood of horses and homologoum immunoglobulins. A study was made of the sera of 100 patients with tick-borne encephalitis treated with heterologous and homologous immunoglobulins of directed action; in response to the administration of horse gamma-globulin antiglobulins (in titres below 1 : 10000) appeared in the serum; they circulated in the blood for long periods and inhibited the accumulat...
Steel JD, Hall MC, Stewart GA.Changes that occur in the equine ECG during and after exercise have been described and compared with resting ECG's obtained from the same horses. When the speed of work equals or is greater than "three-quarter pace" (i.e. "even time" or 200 metres in 15 seconds) the high heart rates developed cause the loss of ECG waveforms that are readily discernible at rest. Although differences in the waveforms between horses with normal and abnormal resting ECG's have been observed, the more definitive useful information is the fact that abnormal horses showed significantly higher heart rates than normal ...
Carroll EJ, Lasmanis J, Schalm OW.A method is described for production of an equine anti-bovine leukocyte serum (EABLS). Leukocytes were harvested from the milk of cow's udders which had been irritated with endotoxin. The washed leukocytes as antigens were administered to 2 horses in a series of subcutaneous and intravenous injections. There was a variably progressive increase in total serum proteins and a decrease in albumin/blobulin ratios, but the most pronounced change was an increase in beta2-globulins. Accompanying these changes was an increase in the number of precipitin lines as shown by Ouchterlony analysis. Four old ...