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.
Boersema JH.A horse with foot-mange failed to recover following a number of courses of treatment with coumaphos. Mites isolated from this horse were tested in vitro for their sensitivity to coumaphos and lindane. The mites were resistant to coumaphos and sensitive to lindane. Following treatment with lindane, the horse recovered within four weeks.
Roberts MC, Groenendyk S, Kelly WR.A 4 month old foal with right sided maxillary enlargement and considerable upper airway obstruction had an ameloblastic odontoma in the right maxillary sinus. This odontogenic tumour, probably congenital in nature, had extensively distorted the structure and contours of the sinus, and displaced the adjacent turbinates and nasal septum.
Benson JA, Dawson FL, Durrant DS, Edwards PT, Powell DG.A serum agglutination and antiglobulin test is described for the detection of antibodies to the contagious equine metritis organism. A provisional interpretation of the test is proposed and using this interpretation the results of 66 such tests are discussed.
Mayhew IG, Watson AG, Heissan JA.From a clinical, radiological and morphological study of 9 horses with congenital malformations of the occiput, atlas and axis, and from a study of 2 reported cases, 3 diseases were defined: A. Familial occipitalisation of the atlas with atlantalisation of the axis in Arabian horses (7 cases in this report and the case reported by Leipold, et al., 1974). These horses had congenital atlantooccipital fusion, hypoplasia of the atlas and dens, malformation of the axis and modification of the atlantoaxial joint. B. Congenital asymmetrical occipitoatlantoaxial malformation (2 cases in this report). ...
Cartee RE, Cowles WR.To determine the lines of maximum extensibility of the skin over the equine carpus, round puncture wounds were made 2.0 cm apart over the carpal area of 5 horses (7 carpi). The direction of elongation of the round puncture wound was observed and photographed. Lines of maximum extensibility that occurred over the surfaces of the equine carpus were determined to be proximal to distal, except in a small area over the accessory carpal bone where a state of anisotropism existed. In an immobilized carpus, direction of a surgical incision was not as important as it was in a mobile carpus, in which th...
Stros K, Krivanec K, Komárek J, Malinský B.There is a description of equine dermatophytosis enzootic, caused by the microscopic fungus Trichophyton equinum. The disease affected 32 horses, mostly young, all in the same herd (74.4%). The diseased horses were successfully treated with the preparation Fenoform forte, applied superficially at the concentration of 0.5% of the active substance. The authors made an attempt to determine the criteria for clinical differentiation of fully developed trichophytosis and microsporosis of horses. Trichophytosis (T. equinum) is characterized as typical numerous small and round patches, covered by smal...
Rawlinson RJ, Jones RT.The history and clinical findings of 1 horses with guttural pouch mycosis referred to us are described. The salient features of the history and clinical signs common to both cases were profuse spontaneous nasal haemorrhage, partial pharyngeal paralysis; subsequently bilateral nasal discharge containing food material, inability to drink and parotid pain became evident. One case made a gradual recovery with conservative medical treatment while the second case was destroyed and submitted for post-mortem, histopathological and microbiological examination. This examination failed to establish the i...
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...
Boles CL, Raker CW, Wheat JF.An abnormality of the epiglottis and arytenoepiglottic folds that caused epiglottic entrapment was diagnosed in 21 horses. Until recently, this entrapment was poorly understood. Definitive diagnosis of epiglottic entrapment can be made only by endoscopic examination of the epiglottis, arytenoepiglottic folds, and soft palate to differentiate the abnormality from dorsal displacement of the soft palate. Dorsal displacement of the soft palate is often associated with entrapped epiglottis. Epiglottic deformity, especially hypoplasia, is often associated with the entrapment. The abnormality was det...
de Medeiros Assis D, Fernandes de Freitas R, Rodrigues do Nascimento MJ, Santana Pereira C, Isidro da Nóbrega Neto P, Arcoverde Maciel T....Obstetric paralysis is a generic term used to describe postpartum locomotor alterations resulting from nerve damage, widely reported in cattle, but rare in equines. The aim of this study is to report a case of a peripheral polyneuropathy in a primiparous mare, 3 years old, of Mangalarga Marchador breed, after a dystocia lasting approximately 12 hours. At the time of delivery, the head of the fetus was exposed in the vulva and there was flexion of the thoracic limbs. These events culminated in a framework of extreme abduction of the pelvic limbs, thus generating functional impotence and leadin...
Etcheverrigaray ME, Oliva GA, Zabala Suárez JE.Twenty seven per cent of 238 serum samples obtained from horses with clinical diagnosis were positive for the immunodifusion test, while 17% of the 452 sera obtained from asintomatic horses were positive. Twenty one per cent of the 870 sera studied were positive.
Wyse CA, Love S, Christley RM, Yam PS, Cooper JM, Cumming DR, Preston T.Oxidative stress refers to an imbalance between the production of oxidising free radicals and the antioxidant defenses of the cell, and is associated with many pathogenic processes. Oxidative damage to cellular lipids results in the evolution of pentane and ethane gas, and detection of these hydrocarbons in the exhaled breath can be used to monitor in vivo oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to validate a gas chromatography (GC) method for measurement of breath pentane in the horse. The GC-system developed showed good specificity for discrimination of pentane from other breath hydrocar...
Voermans M, Skidell J, Winberg F.Prestenotic oesophageal dilatation and stricture were diagnosed in a horse with a history of trauma in the cervical area and recurrent oesophageal obstruction. The diagnosis was established on the basis of the clinical examination, endoscopy, and positive contrast oesophagography. Conservative treatment was unsuccessful and surgical intervention was necessary. Oesophageal myectomy combined with myoplasty was performed, simultaneously relieving the dilatation and the stricture. No abnormalities were detected 8 weeks after surgery. The horse was on a normal diet and oesophageal obstruction did r...
Blythe LL.Methodology for the neurologic examination in the equine species is described. Information is organized to assist the reader in defining neurologic deficits and in localizing lesions to the major subdivisions within the central or peripheral nervous system. Numerous examples of deficits are presented to assist the reader in recognition of common neurologic disease states.
Payan-Carreira R, Quaresma M, Oliveira-Martins T, Silva JR.This report describes a case of blind vagina diagnosed during a pre-breeding evaluation of a 5-year-old crossbred Lusitano mare. This mare was mated twice during the previous breeding season but remained open. Clinical evaluation revealed the existence of follicles in the ovaries and an enlarged uterus. An ultrasound examination showed that a granular free-floating fluid distended the uterus. No connection was detected between the uterus and the vagina and a presumptive diagnosis of congenital vaginal obstruction was raised. On vaginal examination it was noticed that the vagina was short in de...
Bull TE, Lindman B, Einarsson R, Zeppezauer M.The binding of Au(CN)2- and Pt(CN)4-2- ions to the coenzyme binding site of horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase (alcohol : NAD+ oxidoreductase EC 1.1.1.1) has been studied by 35C1 nuclear magnetic relaxation. Longitudinal relaxation rates were analyzed in terms of a simple model and binding constants for Au(CN)2-, Pt(CN)4-2- and C1- were estimated. From a comparison between transverse and longitudinal relaxation rates the correlation time and the quadrupole coupling constant of bound chloride ion were obtained. The quadrupole coupling constant estimated from a simple electrostatic model for chlo...
Schöl H, Beelitz P, Gothe R.Trichomonads of the oral cavity were found in 9 of 60 investigated horses. Apart from dental tartar, the oral cavity showed no clinical signs in all positive horses. The clinical investigation of these horses additionally revealed colic in 4 and coughing in 4 horses as well as lumbago in 1 animal. By means of scanning electron microscopy the trichomonads were shown to be round or piriform with an average length of 7.6 microns and greatest width of 6.3 microns. They had 4 anterior flagella with an average length of 8.3 microns, an undulating membrane measuring 8.7 microns with no trailing flage...
Embertson RM.Upper respiratory tract conditions of the older horse that are not necessarily associated with athletic exercise intolerance are discussed. Some of the diseases described include ethmoid hematoma, sinus disease, guttural pouch empyema and mycosis, retropharyngeal abscess, nasopharyngeal cicatrix, arytenoid chondropathy, and neoplasia.
Mackey VS, Pool RR.Fracture of the lateral wing of the third phalanx with secondary infection of the distal interphalangeal joint occurred in a neurectomized mare. Puncture of the sole may have been the inciting cause, emphasizing the need for careful daily foot care in neurectomized horses.
