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.
Akinboade OA, Awani O, Best O, Cole T.Summary Twelve (12) heavy horses of the Shire breed imported into Nigeria in 1974 died within two months after importation. This was because of inclement weather and non-availability of AHS vaccine.
Nickels FA, Brown CM, Breeze RG.A unilateral pulmonary granular cell tumor occurred in a Thoroughbred mare with longstanding respiratory disease wrongly attributed to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The clinical features, radiology and endoscopic appearance permitted an accurate diagnosis, which was supported by subsequent necropsy and histologic examination. Obstructive pulmonary disease was ruled out after measurement of arterial blood gases and maximum intrathoracic pressure changes, and after microscopic examination of the lung.
Stick JA, Boles C.Three foals with chronic cough, bilateral nasal discharge, and pneumonia were found to have a subepiglottic cyst as the inciting cause. Consistent findings were dysphagia and aspiration pneumonia, in addition to the abnormal respiratory noise usually found in the adult horse with a subepiglottic cyst. Histologic examination of the cysts suggested their origin was traumatic rather than embryonic.
Franken P, van Beukelen P, Blok G.Two horses became ill, and one died, after being fed onions, presumably over a long period. Their intake of grass was low at the time of illness because the pasture was covered with snow. Examination of blood and urine revealed signs of severe haemolytic anaemia.
Greet TR, Jeffcott LB, Whitwell KE, Cook WR.The paper describes the assessment and practical implications of a laryngeal adductory reflex in a series of 30 ataxic and 64 non-ataxic horses. The reflex was evoked by slapping the saddle region just caudal to the withers. In normal horses this produced a flickering adductory movement of the contralateral arytenoid cartilage which was observed endoscopically. Abolition of the laryngeal response was encountered in in 3 situations:--(1) Disruption of the afferent impulse occurred in those horses in which there was significant spinal cord pathology affecting the pathway from the cranial thoraci...
Jeffcott LB, Dalin G.The functional anatomy of the thoracolumbar (TL) spine is considered in relation to the horse's ability to perform at speed and to jump. The morphological features quite clearly show the relative inflexibility of the equine back and this was confirmed by some experimental studies. Fresh post mortem specimens from 5 Thoroughbreds were used to estimate the limits of dorsoventral movement of the TL spine from mid-thoracic to the cranial lumbar (T10-L2). The individual spinous processes could be moved a mean 1.1-6.0 mm on maximum ventroflexion and 0.8-3.8 mm on dorsiflexion. The overall flexibilit...
Perryman LE, McGuire TC.Between January 1973 and September 1979, 2,092 horses and ponies were evaluated for immunologic disorders. A total of 418 abnormalities were detected in 416 (20%) of the animals tested. Disorders encountered were failure or partial failure of colostral immunoglobulin transfer from mare to foal (228 cases), combined immunodeficiency (159 cases), selective immunoglobulin M deficiency (19 cases), agammaglobulinemia (3 cases), transient hypogammaglobulinemia (2 cases), and lymphosarcoma (7 cases). Four conclusions were drawn from the study. (1) Immunologic abnormalities occur commonly in horses an...
Ray AC, Post LO, Hurst JM, Edwards WC, Reagor JC.An analytical method for cantharidin, using high performance liquid chromatography, was applied to field specimens from horses and sheep with blister beetle (Epicauta lemniscata) poisoning. Stomach content and urine proved to be valuable aids in diagnosis. One incident of cantharidin toxicosis in ruminants (sheep) was confirmed.
Steffey EP, Farver T, Zinkl J, Wheat JD, Meagher DM, Brown MP.Quantitative changes in hematologic and serum biochemical values associated with prolonged general anesthesia produced by known alveolar doses of halothane in oxygen were determined in six young, healthy horses under laboratory conditions. In addition, 25 young equine patients anesthetized for shorter periods under clinical conditions were similarly (except hematologic values) prospectively evaluated. In normal horses, muscle- and hepatic-derived serum biochemical values were mildly increased immediately after anesthesia. Values after anesthesia remained at greater than base-line values for up...
Gay CC, Lording PM.Actinobacillus equuli was the cause of peritonitis in 5 horses. In 3 the onset was sudden with intestinal stasis and acute abdominal pain as predominant findings. Two others presented with chronic disease and weight loss. Characteristically the peritoneal fluid had a high nucleated cell count with non-degenerate neutrophils as the predominant cell type. Four horses were treated and recovered.
Perryman LE, Torbeck RL.A 3-year prospective breeding trial was designed to verify the mode of inheritance of combined immunodeficiency (CID) in Arabian horses. Twenty-six mares that had previously produced foals with CID were mated to a stallion that had sired foals with CID. Of 53 foals obtained, 15 (28.3%) had CID. The ratio of female to male foals was 28:25, and the ratio of female CID to male CID foals was 8:7. The results of this trial confirmed a suggestion that CID in Arabian horses is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait.
Tinling SP, Cardinet GH, Blythe LL, Cohen M, Vonderfecht SL.The structure of sarcocysts in a horse is presented. Light microscopic examination revealed that the maximum cyst dimensions were 136 X 990 micrometers and the cyst walls were striated and 1 to 3 micrometers thick. Electron microscopic examination revealed that the "cyst wall" was formed by villuslike protrusions of the parasitophorous vacuole's primary wall. A unique feature was the presence and arrangement of microtubules within the parasitophorous vacuole. Thirty-four to 55 microtubules extended from the apical tips and sides of each villus and passed through the ground matrix to form junct...
Potgieter LN, Rouse BT, Webb-Martin TA.A modification of the indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed which used staphylococcal protein A linked to horseradish peroxidase. Virus antibodies in equine, bovine, porcine, feline, canine, lagomorphic (rabbit), and human sera were detected, using the indirect ELISA in which the antiglobulin enzyme conjugate was replaced by protein A linked to horseradish peroxidase. Results of the ELISA were compared with the results of the serum-virus neutralization test. The application of the test in laboratories performing serologic assays with sera from diverse animal species ...
Asquith RL, Edds GT, Aller WW, Bortell R.Twelve clinically normal Shetland ponies were allocated to one of four treatment groups. Aflatoxin B1 was administered at the dosage level of 2 mg/kg of body weight to group A, 1 mg/kg to group B, and 0.5 mg/kg to group C; a placebo was given to group D (controls). Plasma samples were assayed at 4-hour intervals for iditol dehydrogenase (ID) (sorbitol dehydrogenase) concentrations as an indicator of hepatic damage. One of the ponies in group A died 68 hours after dosing; another pony in group A died 76 hours after dosing. All other animals survived the experiment. The means of peak ID values w...
Schönberg A, Caldas EM, Sampaio MB, Costa E, Plank SJ.IN the State of Bahia (Brazil) the leptospirin produced in Germany for experimental use by the Institute for Veterinary Medicine, Federal Health Office, Berlin, was administered to humans and animals in order to diagnose leptospirosis in collaboration with this Institute. The results were compared with the microscopic agglutination reaction. The total number of test persons or animals was 268; this group included 81 human patients. 60 heads of cattle, 50 goats, 40 pigs, 25 horses, and 12 dogs. All were tested serologically and simultaneously the intracutaneous test was carried out. This test w...
Merritt AM, Smith DA.The concentrations of acetate (C2), propionate (C3), isobutyrate (iC4), butyrate (nC4), isovalerate (iC5), and valerate (nC5) were measured in the feces of 16 clinically normal horses and 44 horses with chronic diarrhea of at least 1-month's duration. The diarrheal horses were categorized diagnostically as: (1) no discernible clinical abnormalities other than diarrhea and in some cases, weight loss (open); (2) clinical evidence of strongyle larval migrans; and (3) Salmonella organisms recovered from the feces. Osmolarity of the feces of 14 of the normal and 15 of the sick horses also was measu...
Gray BW, Engel HN, Rumph PF, LaFaver J, Brown BG, McKibbin JS.To determine the sensory nerve supply of the metacarpophalangeal joint, lameness was induced in eight horses by injecting the joint with a glycerin suspension of glass micropheres. When the medial and lateral palmar nerves were anesthetized in 4 horses, there was noticeable improvement in the gait, but each horse remained lame. When the medial and lateral palmar metacarpal nerves were also anesthetized, 3 of the 4 horses became sound. To confirm the results of local anesthesia, neurectomies were performed on a second group of four horses. The lameness was alleviated only upon resection of both...
Trexler PC, Thomson GR.A method of rearing germ-free gnotobiotic foals is described. To date, four foals have been infected with rhinopneumonitis and the only clinical signs of infection have been a transient fever and leukopaenia; no detailed results are, as yet, available.
Hendrix SM, Baxter GM.Most injuries, including those with significant tissue loss, can be successfully managed with proper therapy. With delayed healing, potential causes for the delay, such as sequestra, foreign bodies, and excessive motion,should be determined and treated to permit complete wound resolution. Horses have the innate ability to heal rapidly; however, minor injuries can quickly turn into complicated wounds, given the severity of the inciting trauma and the less than ideal environment in which the horses are housed. Wound management must focus on a combination of timely surgical and medical interventi...
Schüle E.Because of the growing interest in animal health and welfare in breeding and sport--specially in the horse--the regulation of the German Riding Association (FN) was updated. The result--the LPO 2000--refer more functions to the veterinarian. At first the permanent presence of the vet is necessary, at second he controls the correct, new installed vaccination against influenza-virus. The functions of vet-check, general horse-control and doping are wide up in number and consultation. For this the veterinarian must decree about much experience and good preparation. The organisations of the veterin...
Milde AK.The objective of this study was to establish whether the carpal joints in horses are subject to development of arthrosis to a larger extent than previously assumed. Furthermore, an attempt has been made to clarify whether clinical diagnostical resources presently available are sufficient for accurate evaluation of the status in carpus. The present results show that an analysis of the synovia fluid is of little value in case of chronica arthrosis in carpus. Histilogical examination of the synovia membrane has been of limited value in this cases as it has not been possible to arrive at a definit...
Orsini JA, Roby KA.A modified surgical procedure for creation of a carotid loop for repeated percutaneous sampling of arterial blood gas was performed on 8 Holstein heifers and 14 horses. This approach permitted sampling of blood gas via fine-needle aspiration (one to three times daily) and/or catheterization for extended periods. It offers several advantages over previously reported techniques, including greater accessibility, absence of postoperative complications such as hematoma formation, and absence of foreign materials supporting the loop.
Althouse GC, Seager SW, Varner DD, Webb GW.An experiment was conducted to evaluate three commercially available test kits, the Azostix, Multistix and Uric-acid test, for the detection of urine in the equine ejaculate. Azostix, which tests for urea nitrogen, consistently detected urine in the equine ejaculate. Urine contamination was evident when a color change occurred in the reagent pad, going from yellow to green after 10 sec of exposure. The sensitivity of Azostix to urea nitrogen in contaminated samples was 39 mg/dl. The Multistix test kit also successfully detected urine in semen. In the Multistix nitrite pad the color changed fro...
Yoxall AT.The principles of radiological protection are summarised and consideration is then given to problems, which may confront the equine practitioner, in the fulfillment of these principles during diagnostic radiography of the limbs, head, and spine of the horse. The place of anaesthesia in such procedures is discussed and the special problems associated with therapeutic radiography of the horse are considered.
Binev R, Valchev I, Nikolov J.Monitoring of changes in some blood laboratory parameters in 34 horses after ingesting freshly harvested maize that was to be used for ensiling, heavily contaminated with young Datura stramonium plants, is described. For a 7-day period the following parameters were monitored: haemoglobin content (HGB), red blood cell counts (RBC), white blood cell counts (WBC), haematocrit (HCT), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), differential white cell counts (DWC), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), protein fractions, aspa...