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.
Taylor AW.The possible sequelae of traumatic perforation
of the reticulum of cattle are described by Blood
and Henderson (1963). Traumatic splenitis and
hepatitis following perforation of the reticulum
have also been described in detail (Blood and
Hutchins 1955).
Frank (1959) described and illustrated both
thrombus formation and stricture of the posterior
vena cava following traumatic reticulitis with subsequent abscess formation. The proximity of the
abscess to the posterior vena cava apparently
caused erosion of the vessel wall, and the inflammatory reaction initiated the formation of a
thr...
Green JH, Bolin RC, Carver RK, Gross H, Pigott N, Harrell WK.The serological response in burros and horses to the viable LVS strain of Pasteurella tularensis was studied. High-titered agglutinating antisera and fluorescent-antibody conjugates were obtained in both groups of animals. Maximum titers were obtained in horses 14 to 21 days after the start of vaccination and in burros 21 to 28 days after the start of vaccination. The use of Woodhour's adjuvants or booster inoculations did not result in increased titers.
Lees P, Tavernor WD.1. Ventricular ectopic beats were recorded in eight of thirteen conscious horses following the intravenous administration of adrenaline in doses of 3 mug/kg. Following pre-treatment with either atropine sulphate (0.1 mg/kg) or propranolol hydrochloride (0.1 mg/kg), the same dose level of adrenaline failed to produce ventricular ectopic beats.2. Halothane anaesthesia sensitized the equine heart to the arrhythmogenic actions of adrenaline; the incidence and duration of ventricular arrhythmias being greater than in conscious animals. In comparison with the findings in conscious horses, ether anae...
Starick E.Serum samples from 72 stallions were examined for the occurrence of antibodies against equine arteritis virus, of which 41 animals (57%) were found to be positive. 32 of the seropositive stallions were then screened for persistent EAV infection, before and after the breeding season. Semen samples were investigated by RT-PCR followed by dot blot hybridization and nested PCR, and by virus isolation on cell cultures as well. The carrier state was virologically confirmed in 11 of 32 stallions (34%) during the first and in 9 of 20 (45%) during the second investigation. RT-PCR followed by confirmato...
Scott DW.In a retrospective histopathologic study of nonneoplastic dermatoses, lymphoid nodules were found in 0.3% of 3,408 canine, 5.1% of 469 feline, and 4.5% of 325 equine skin biopsies. In all 3 species, the majority of cases wherein lymphoid nodules were found were diseases of presumed immune-mediated nature. In cats and horses, the majority of cases were also diseases characterized by tissue eosinophilia.
Mackie MK.A 13-year-old, Thoroughbred gelding presented with a 3-year history of progressive ataxia of all 4 limbs. Physical and neurological examinations indicated a compressive lesion affecting the cervical spinal cord. Radiographs confirmed a lesion, and a myelogram a narrowing of the spinal canal at cervical vertebrae (6-7). Necropsy confirmed cervical stenotic myelopathy.
Valentine BA, Hedstrom OR, Miller WH, Scott DW, Mathies S.A blue roan Percheron foal was born with poorly circumscribed patchy alopecia of the trunk and legs. Teeth and hoof development were normal. Alopecia was progressive, becoming almost complete by 1 year of age. Histopathological findings in a skin biopsy obtained at 7 months of age were consistent with severe follicular hypoplasia. Sebaceous glands, epitrichial sweat glands and arrector pilae muscles were normal. The horse is alive and otherwise well at 6 years of age, although adult stature is considered small for this breed. The clinical history and histopathological findings are most consist...
Manning M, Dubielzig R, McGuirk S.A foal with azotemia, acidemia, and electrolyte abnormalities was diagnosed with uroperitoneum. The foal was anesthetized with isoflurane, and throughout the 4 hours of anesthesia and abdominal surgery, its mean arterial pressure ranged between 45 and 65 mm Hg. The foal developed a myopathy postoperatively and died 24 hours after surgery.
Leidl W.1. At present there is a wide field of applications for ultrasonography in gynaecological examinations. 2. Pregnancy (under clinical conditions) may be diagnosed in mares from day 14, in cows from day 25/26, in small ruminants from day 35, in sows from day 28/30, in bitches from day 25/28 and in queens from day 20/25 on, either by demonstrating the embryonic vesicle or the embryo or fetus. 3. Control of ovulation is gaining importance in the mare, especially in artificial insemination. 4. The diagnosis of pathological processes in the uterus of mares, bitches and queens is improved considerabl...
Soana S, Gnudi G, Bertoni G, Botti P.The aim of this study is to point out the time of appearance of the carpal and tarsal bones in the fetal horse, considering an estimated fetal age, to follow their morphological development through to birth, and to characterize possible abnormal shape and/or delay of their ossification. The right carpal and tarsal region of 140 equine fetuses of both sexes (71 males, 69 females) and different ages (from 70 to 340 days of gestation) were examined radiographically in order to identify the sites of ossification from their earliest appearance. The times of appearance of the sites of ossification o...
Edwards GB, Vaughan LC.Six horses were found to have infective arthritis of one elbow joint. The history, and presence of a small wound on the lateral aspect of the elbow suggested the condition was trauma induced. Two horses recovered following joint lavage under general anaesthesia and antibiotic therapy. The joint changes found post mortem in the others were characteristic of an infective arthritis.
Nishita T, Matsushita H.Sections of equine thymus were examined for the presence of carbonic anhydrase (CA) isozymes by an immunohistochemical method. Carbonic anhydrase III, a major enzyme of skeletal muscle, was localized in some of the epithelial-reticular cells of the equine thymus. This finding suggests the presence of a new type of cell in the thymic cortex. The concentration of CA-III in the thymus was 17 micrograms/g wet tissue. CA-I and CA-II were not found in equine thymus.
Wittich CA, Ward MP, Fosgate GT, Srinivasan R.To determine whether West Nile virus (WNV) disease hyperendemic foci (hot spots) exist within the horse population in Texas and, if detected, to identify the locations. Methods: Reports of 1,907 horses with WNV disease in Texas from 2002 to 2004. Methods: Case data with spatial information from WNV epidemics occurring in 2002 (1,377 horses), 2003 (396 horses), and 2004 (134 horses) were analyzed by use of the spatial scan statistic (Poisson model) and kriging of empirical Bayes smoothed county attack rates to determine locations of horses with WNV disease in which affected horses were consiste...
Rosser EJ.Although there are numerous dermatoses in the horse in which the formation of crusts occurs, there are two relatively common and important infectious crusting dermatoses, namely, dermatophytosis and dermatophilosis. This article reviews the current concepts regarding the etiology and pathogenesis of each disease, as well as the more common clinical presentations, methods of diagnosis, and treatment.
Specht TE, Colahan PT, Nixon AJ, Brown MP, Turner TA, Peyton LC, Schneider RK.Ethmoidal hematoma was diagnosed in 9 horses by results of physical examination, endoscopy, radiography, and histologic examination of tissues. The horses had stertorous breathing (n = 4) or intermittently sanguineous nasal discharge (n = 7). All horses underwent sinusotomy and extirpation of the lesion. At reexamination 15 to 104 months after surgery (mean, 61 months), 3 horses had recurrence of ethmoidal hematoma, and 1 horse had ethmoidal hematoma involving the contralateral ethmoturbinates. One of the horses with recurrence of ethmoidal hematoma also developed a contralateral lesion; both ...
Lubczyk B, Nothelfer HB.A case of generalized equine leucosis is presented. The most important clinical signs were cachexia, loss of condition, fever, tachycardia, subcutaneous tumors and severe lameness accompanied by edema of the right thoracic limb. Hematology showed anemia and neutrophilia; clinical biochemistry indicated hypalbuminemia, hyperphosphatemia and hyperfibrinogenemia. Necropsy revealed multiple tumors throughout the body which mainly originated from lymph nodes. Histopathologically the tumors consisted of two cell-types: a. uniform lymphocytoid cells with a highly infiltrative growth pattern; b. heter...
Oldenkamp EP.A suspension based on the antibiotic, natamycin, was applied by sponging to 83 horses of various breeds and ages with signs of clinical ringworm. A number of different causative agents were involved of which Trichophyton equinum was the most common. Treatment successfully eliminated the disease within 4 weeks. After treatment the recovered animals did not show any evidence of re-infection for up to 6 months. The mycological clearance rate was 97 per cent and apart from the efficacy against ringworm, the preparation had the advantage of being non-irritant and odourless. It was also useful for t...
Kay AD, Lavoie JP.A technique was developed for recording urethral pressure profiles (UPP) in mares. Profiles were obtained from 12 clinically normal mares and from 3 mares with urinary incontinence. Variables measured on the profile included intravesicular pressure and maximal urethral closure pressure. The mean maximal urethral closure pressure of the incontinent mares was significantly less (P less than or equal to 0.001) than that of the normal mares. The technique is simple and reliable for objectively evaluating urethral pressures in mares.
Amend JF, Ross JN, Garner HE, Rosborough JP, Hoff HE.This report describes the measurement of systolic time intervals in a nine year old female domestic pony which was found at necropsy to show coarctation of the aorta and bilateral ventricular hypertrophy. Electrocardiogram, phonocardiogram and direct arterial blood pressure were recorded from the pony in a standing unmedicated state and systolic time intervals were measured from the resulting tracings. A prolongation of left ventricular ejection time and shortening of the pre-ejection period were observed in comparison to a group of normal ponies similarly examined. Such changes are consistent...
Greco-Otto P, Léguillette R.Horses competing in pulling competitions often undergo rapid weight change to enter lower weight categories. The aim of this study was to assess weight change and the associated changes of body water compartments in pulling horses. Weight change was attributed primarily to body water losses; however, losses from other sources were also indicated. . Les chevaux participant à des compétitions de trait subissent souvent des changements de poids rapides pour s’inscrire à des catégories de poids inférieurs. Le but de cette étude consistait à évaluer le changement de poids et les changemen...
van der Velden MA, Schuitemaker EA.The aetiology, clinical symptoms and treatment of equine periodic ophthalmia are discussed. Particular attention is paid to the possible role in aetiology of Onchocerca cervicalis microfilariae. Corticosteroids and atropine are the most important therapeutic drugs.
Tai CL, Wang C, Weckman TJ, Popot MA, Woods WE, Yang JM, Blake J, Tai HH, Tobin T.To improve the sensitivity and specificity of screening for etorphine in horses, an 125I-labeled etorphine analog was synthesized and an antibody to etorphine was raised in rabbits. A radioimmunoassay (RIA) for etorphine was developed, using these reagents. Bound and free 125I-labeled etorphine was separated by a double-antibody method that reduced interference from materials associated with equine urine. The 125I-labeled etorphine binding was rarely greater than 250 pg of background etorphine equivalents/ml in raw urine and was 100 pg/ml in hydrolyzed urine. The 125I-RIA was capable of detect...
da Silva AC, Brass KE, da Silva Loreto E, Vinocur ME, Pozzobon R, da Silva Azevedo M.The aim was to detect the presence of polymorphisms at exons 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the Spi2 gene, and evaluate a possible association between them and recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) or inflammatory airway disease (IAD) in thoroughbred horses, through single-strand conformational-polymorphism (SSCP) screening. Although polymorphism was not detected in exons 1, 2 and 3, three alleles and six genotypes were identified in exon 4. The frequencies of allele A (0.6388) and genotype AA (0.3888) were higher in horses affected by RAO, although no association was found between polymorphism and horses with...
Harasawa R, Higashi T.Viral DNA obtained from the equine adenovirus propagated in equine transitional cell carcinoma (ETCC) cells and in equine fetal dermis cells were compared by cleaving with isoschizomeric restriction enzymes, HpaII and MspI, and then electrophoresed in 1.4 per cent agarose gels. Differences between the HpaII and MspI cleavage patterns were evident in viral DNA obtained only from the equine adenovirus propagated in ETCC cells, suggesting site specific methylation at CpG sequences.
Mutsaers CW, van der Velden MA.Within a one-year period two ponies were operated on because of colon impaction. The two ponies had each been treated with Amitraz (Taktik) quite recently. In view of findings reported in the literature, the colon impaction in these two ponies was very likely to have been due to treatment with Taktik.
Gill Harris reports from this year's National Equine Forum where a key theme was the importance of collaboration and effective communication in achieving the best outcomes for the health and welfare of the horse and the future of equestrianism in the UK.
Parth RA, Svalbe LS, Hazard GH, Church S.Two cases of severe scapulohumeral osteoarthritis in Miniature ponies are described, one bilateral and the other unilateral. The condition is thought to occur in miniature breeds as a result of scapulohumeral dysplasia. The presentation in one of the ponies was unusal: it refused to pick up either fore limb, with progression to a uniquely bizarre gait with narrow forelimb placement, an arched back and widely placed hindlimbs camped well forward under the body. The other pony was presented for an acute unilateral non-weight bearing forelimb lameness. Response to analgesia in both cases was poor...
Hoffman AM, Viel L, Prescott JF.Despite the high incidence of distal respiratory tract infection of undetermined cause on farms, to our knowledge, the microbiologic effects of conventional antimicrobial treatment for this condition have not been studied. We evaluated the possible pathogenic role of bacterial isolates from the distal airways of foals with clinical respiratory tract disease, by correlating changes in their numbers (increase or decrease) with clinical, endoscopic, and pulmonary cytologic signs of disease resolution during treatment with antimicrobial drugs. We also determined qualitative changes in in vitro ant...
Kübleck E.The pathology of a horse is described, in which thoracic trauma with costal fracture and a small diaphragmatic defect later led to entrapment of small intestine in the thorax.
Meinecke B.The present study comprises 31 mares, that showed a permanent unilateral enlargement of the ovary. In 29 patients the ovary in question was removed by a flanc laparotomy in the standing animal. In the histopathologic examination a granulosa cell tumor was diagnosed in 23 cases, a fibroma twice and a teratoma, hematoma, leiomyoma and a cystic ovary each once. Due to the endocrine activity of the granulosa cell tumor, the clinical picture was characterized by changed behaviour and atrophy of the contralateral ovary. Clinically the ovarial blastomas (teratoma, leiomyoma, fibroma) could not be dif...
Current and emerging issues: reminder of the notifiable status of porcine epidemic diarrhoeaHighlights from the scanning surveillance networkUpdate on international disease threatsReview of animal health threats by the Veterinary Risk Group These are among matters discussed in the Animal and Plant Health Agency's (APHA's) disease surveillance report for July 2017.
Allen AL.Postmortem radiography can be a valuable supplement to traditional necropsy. This article provides examples where postmortem radiographs have been useful in diagnosing and documenting lesions in animals, and have helped demonstrate important principles of the pathology and the pathogenesis of lesions identified at necropsy. This article also discusses additional circumstances where the application of postmortem radiography might be worthwhile.
