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.
Garner A, Griffiths P.The purpose of this paper is to describe congenital defects, having no direct counterpart in
the literature, that affected both eyes of a new-born foal of pedigree racing stock, which
otherwise appeared to be entirely healthy as were both the sire and the dam.
Van den Oord AH, Wesdorp JJ, Van Dam AF, Verheij JA.In commercial samples of equine myoglobin and samples of equine and bovine myoglobin prepared in the laboratory, a small amount of the protein was present as an aggregate. The presence of the myoglobin aggregate could be demonstrated by gel filtration on Sephadex G-100 Superfine, which also provided a means of isolating it. Gel filtration on Sephadex G-100 showed the molecular weights of the equine and bovine moyglobin aggregates to be about 35000 and 34000 respectively, thus supporting the hypothesis that they are dimers. This was confirmed for the equine myoglobin by ultracentrifugation meas...
Sloet van Oldruitenborgh-Oosterbaan MM.Hyperkalaemic periodic paralysis(HYPP) is characterized by intermittent episodes of muscular tremor, weakness, and collapse, and is probably caused by abnormal electrolyte transport in the muscle cell membrane. During an episode of HYPP, most animals are severely hyperkalaemic. HYPP is a hereditary disease and occurs only in American Quarter horses or crossbreds. Because these horses are now being imported into the Netherlands, HYPP should be included in the differential diagnosis of horses showing signs of muscle tremor, paresis, or paralysis. The present article reviews the literature on HYP...
Terhaar HM, Henriksen ML, Mehaffy C, Hess A, McMullen RJ.The objective of this study was to use shotgun label-free tandem mass spectrometry (LF-MS/MS) to evaluate aqueous humor (AH) from horses with uveitis (UH) compared to ophthalmologically healthy horses (HH). Methods: Twelve horses diagnosed with uveitis based on ophthalmic examination and six ophthalmologically healthy horses (postmortem) purchased for teaching purposes. Methods: All horses received a complete ophthalmic examination and physical exam. Aqueous paracentesis was performed on all horses and AH total protein concentrations were measured with nanodrop (TPn) and refractometry (TPr). A...
Waelchli RO, Lutz H, Hermann M, Rüegg C, Eggenberger E.Hematologic reference values were established in 18 healthy foals in the first two months of life. Blood samples were collected prior to colostrum consumption and at 30 hours, 1 week, 3, 5, 7 and 9 weeks of age. PCV, Hb and RBC decreased during the first week and RBC, but not PCV and Hb, increased toward the end of the second month. With the exception of the sample at 1 week, the foals had mean RBC values significantly higher than those of controls. Mean MCV and MCH did not change during the first week, but decreased slightly thereafter; all means were smaller than in controls. The numbers of ...
Molini U, Franzo G, Rautenbach I, Otto HV, Khaiseb S, Di Gennaro A, Ntahonshikira C, Baines I, Monaco F, Savini G, D'Alterio N.West Nile virus (WNV) is a vector-borne virus maintained in nature by a bird-mosquito cycle. However, it can occasionally and accidentally infect horses and human beings, leading to sometimes severe or even fatal outcomes in these species. Therefore, the monitoring of its circulation and disease occurrence is of relevance. Unfortunately, it is underdiagnosed or not diagnosed in several African counties, including Namibia, where no data is currently available for horses. In this study, 98 horses in three different stables in the Windhoek city area were investigated. They were found to have a se...
Williamson CC, Herr S.The distribution of positive dourine cases found on the complement fixation test at the Veterinary Research Institute, Onderstepoort from 1981 to 1984, is recorded. Within the Republic of South Africa, foci of infection occurred in the Johannesburg, Pretoria, Potchefstroom, Rustenburg, Upington, Lichtenburg, Kroonstad, Louis Trichardt, Middelburg (Cape) and Mossel Bay state veterinary districts. In Bophuthatswana, Transkei, Lesotho, South West Africa and Swaziland, positive cases were also recorded. Anti-complementary activity of horse sera does not present a problem. In donkey and mule sera, ...
Poulos PW.Adequate radiographic evaluation of the horse relevant to purchase examination requires the successful integration of technique, interpretation, and reporting. A thorough knowledge of lameness and disease can be masked by incorrect interpretation resulting from poor-quality films or an incomplete examination. Thus, care must be taken to produce an adequate number of high-quality films on which to base a report, which allows you to describe changes that are present. This information, coupled with your physical examination, other laboratory data, and the knowledge of the expressed use of the hor...
Morse EV, Duncan MA, Fessler JF, Page EH.Among 23 Equidae in which various treatment or management regimens for salmonellosis were observed and evaluated, 9 horses were infected with Salmonella typhimurium and 8 with S anatum; an aged mule harbored S newport, and 1 isolant was not identified. Four dual sero-type infections occurred: 3 typhimurium/anatum and 1 anatum/newington. The results obtained with various antimicrobials in therapy of peracute, acute, and chronic infections were discouraging or questionable with regard to efficacy against salmonellae per se. The antimicrobial resistance patterns of the salmonellae and coliforms f...
Sanderson GN, O'Callaghan MW.This article describes the gross radiographic anatomy of the equine thorax observed on the lateral radiographic projection. The descriptions presented were derived from a retrospective study of a large number of thoracic radiographs of cases referred to the Massey University clinic in conjunction with research studies in bronchography, angiography and in vitro contrast techniques. The characteristics of the thoracic bony structures, the vasculature, and the airways are examined separately; followed by a discussion of the relative contribution of the various structures to the overall thoracic r...
This report summarizes West Nile virus (WNV) surveillance data reported to CDC through ArboNET as of 3 a.m., Mountain Daylight Time, September 10, 2003.
Higashi T, Harasawa R.The three equine adenovirus strains isolated in different locations showed a similar cleavage pattern with HindIII and the DNA homology among the strains was confirmed by Southern blot hybridization. The three strains revealed differences in cleavage patterns with BamHI, EcoRI and PstI, suggesting the presence of DNA polymorphisms among equine adenoviruses.
Gordon BJ, Latimer KS, Murray CM, Moore JN.In a continuous-flow centrifugation apheresis technique adapted for blood-component separation and collection in horses, hydroxyethyl starch was not required for erythrocyte sedimentation. The efficacy and separation characteristics of whole blood from 10 horses were evaluated at various gravitational forces (700 to 1,500 rpm), using a constant withdrawal rate (100 ml/min). Maximum leukocyte collection occurred at 700 rpm (P less than 0.01), and optimal neutrophil collection occurred at 700 to 750 rpm (P less than 0.01). Although neutrophil counts decreased and lymphocyte counts remained const...
Coyne CP, Fenwick BW, Iandola J, Williams D, Griffith G.Objectives of this investigation were to extract and isolate protein fractions inhibitory to the cytotoxic properties of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). In this context, mixed populations of WBC were harvested from equine blood and were stimulated with a combination of a synthetic chemotactic peptide and a calcium ionophore. Several methods were subsequently applied for the initial preparation of cell-free crude protein extracts, including fractional precipitation with gradient concentrations of ammonium sulfate and preparative-scale isoelectric focusing. In addition, protein fraction...
Henker LC, Lorenzett MP, Piva MM, Wronski JG, de Andrade DGA, Borges AS, Driemeier D, Oliveira-Filho JP, Pavarini SP.Holoprosencephaly is a central nervous system malformation, characterized by incomplete or total lack of division of prosencephalon hemispheres, which is commonly accompanied by craniofacial malformations. A 9-month-gestation aborted American Quarter Horse fetus was submitted for postmortem examination. The fetus lacked haircoat and had severe facial malformations including marked shortening/absence of the maxillary, incisive and nasal bones, bilateral anophthalmia, and pre-maxillary agenesis. The prosencephalon was small and nearly spherical, represented by a single lobe, with no visible sepa...
Hodgson DS, Dunlop CI.We have discussed anesthetic techniques, special considerations, and expected complications involved in anesthetizing horses for abdominal, orthopedic, and head and neck surgery, and myelography and have described expected physiologic dysfunction that may require changes in anesthetic technique or supportive measures. The objective is high-quality patient care and reduction in anesthesia-related morbidity and death.
Hale D.West Nile Virus is the most frequent cause of arboviral disease in the United States. It was first identified in the United States in 1999. Since that time, each of the 48 contiguous states in the United States has seen the disease, and it has been found in 96% of the U.S. counties in infected humans, mosquitoes, birds, horses, or other mammals. Although most often the disease resolves on its own, patients can develop serious and life-threatening complications, and may need further monitoring and treatment. This article reviews the prevalence, transmission, signs and symptoms, complications, t...
Reddy VK, Kammula RG, Graham TC, Srungaram SK, Bowie WC, Hawthorne EW.Regional coronary blood flow was measured by injecting radioactive microspheres (15 mum +/- 5 in diameter) into the left atrium of anesthetized ponies with surgically prepared open thorax before and during occlusion of the coronary arteries. The normal blood flow to the myocardium of the interventricular septum and the left ventricular wall were highest, followed in decreasing order by the right ventricular wall, the interatrial septum, the atrial walls, and the valves. Measurement of transmural blood flow in the normal left ventricle yielded a mean endocardial/epicardial flow ratio of 1.36 in...
Pérez-Écija A, Estepa JC, Barranco I, Rodríguez-Gómez IM, Mendoza FJ, Gómez-Laguna J.Verrucous hemangiomas are a rare specific variant of equine skin tumors not well described in the literature. An 8-year-old gelding presented a unilateral lesion on the pastern. Macroscopically, the mass showed a warty and verrucous surface with focal ulcerations. The histology showed a dermal proliferation of endothelial-layered capillaries and venules separated by a delicate stroma of scant fibroblasts and collagen deposition, with pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia (exuberant reactive irregular epithelial hyperplasia with tongue-like projections extending into the dermis, mimicking downgrowt...
Andersson B, Augustinsson O, Bademo E, Junkergård J, Kvart C, Nyman G, Wiberg M.The primary aim of the study was to evaluate the potential value of intravenous (i.v.) infusion of angiotensin II (AII) for phonocardiographic differential diagnosis of equine valvular insufficiency. Ten-minute AII infusions at 4.5-33 pmol kg-1 min-1 induced clear-cut dose-dependent rises in systemic arterial blood pressure (aBP), whereas the pulmonary aBP remained largely unaffected. It implies that i.v. infusion of AII at about 10 pmol kg-1 min-1 could be a valuable tool for the acoustic differentiation between mitral and tricuspid valvular dysfunction in the horse. The infusion at, and abov...
Denyer MS, Crowther JR.Antigenic differences within equine-1 and equine-2 isolates of influenza were studied by haemagglutination inhibition tests, indirect ELISA and competition ELISA, using the same antisera. Better differentiation was obtained with the competition ELISA than with the other two tests. All three methods produced similar relationships within the equine-1 isolates but differed in their ability to differentiate the equine-2 isolates where the competition ELISA was superior and produced epidemiologically sensible results. In all three tests, post-infection ferret and horse sera were more useful in disc...
Allen BV.A technique for automating equine differential leucocyte counts by analysis of volume distribution curves using the Coulter Channelyzer has been developed and evaluated. A comparison between the results obtained by this method and standard microscopic techniques showed good agreement in most cases. Blood samples can be analysed for both differential and total leucocyte counts at a rate of 25/h. For each sample an average 16,000 leucocytes are classified by the Channelyzer. The method of volume analysis is suitable for the precise counting of polymorphonuclear neutrophils, lymphocytes and eosin...
Rantanen NW.Diagnostic ultrasound has allowed significant findings to be made in the investigation of cardiac disease in the horse. Because of the limited value of thoracic radiography in the adult horse with cardiac disease, ultrasound is the method of choice to document chamber enlargement, pericardial effusion, valvular abnormalities, and decreased contractility of the myocardium. The apparent changes in the flow characteristics and suspicion of abnormality in the right heart of racehorses need further investigation to fully document the etiopathogenesis of spontaneous contrast.
Takesue M, Osaka Y, Muranaka M, Katayama Y, Ikadai H.In the present study, the serum and cerebrospinal fluid of horses diagnosed with Setaria digitata cerebrospinal filariasis were analyzed by western blot. The results revealed S. digitata protein bands measuring 65, 34, 22, and 18 kDa in molecular weight. In particular, the 18 kDa band is a possible candidate for clinical immunodiagnosis on the basis of western blot findings.
Kaps M, Curik I, Baban M.Heterogeneity of variance of growth traits over age is a common issue in estimating genetic parameters and is addressed in this study by selecting appropriate variance structure models for additive genetic and environmental variances. Modeling and partitioning those variances connected with analyzing small data sets were demonstrated on Lipizzan horses. The following traits were analyzed: withers height, chest girth, and cannon bone circumference. The measurements were taken at birth, and at approximately 6, 12, 24, and 36 mo of age of 660 Lipizzan horses born in Croatia between 1948 and 2000....
Lakritz J, Wisner ER, Finucane T, O'Brien TR, Tyler WS, Pascoe JR, Plopper CG.Interstitial and bronchointerstitial pulmonary patterns are commonly observed in thoracic radiographs of Thoroughbreds. Prominent interstitial and bronchointerstitial pulmonary patterns are observed in clinically normal horses, and in horses with respiratory tract disease. Until recently, the relevance of these pulmonary patterns was not known. Previous studies indicated that bronchiolitis, bronchiolar epithelial hyperplasia, epithelial metaplasia, and bronchial arteriolar recruitment correlated strongly with the prominence of the interstitial and bronchointerstitial pulmonary patterns observe...
Jarvis GE, Evans RJ.Endotoxaemia is a leading cause of death among horses. Thrombocytopenia is a common finding in clinical and experimentally-induced cases of endotoxaemia and can lead to coagulopathies, including disseminated intravascular coagulopathy which is usually fatal. In this study it was shown that endotoxin (3 ng ml-1 to 25 micrograms ml-1) can aggregate equine platelets in heparinised whole blood in vitro. The endotoxin-induced aggregation (EIA) was shown to be dependent on the presence of leucocytes in the blood and did not occur when detoxified endotoxin was used, suggesting that lipid A was necess...
Boudouard M, Giudicelli J, Sudaka P.A rapid method for preparation of brush border membrane vesicles from a large amount of horse kidney cortex is described. Self-orienting Percoll-gradient centrifugation minimized contamination by microsomal membranes. The characteristics of this preparation were checked by electron microscopy and measurement of L-alanine uptake.
Jacobs PH, Elsinghorst TA.Endometrial cups in horses are outgrowths appearing in the uterine wall of the pregnant horn between approximately 38 days and 150 of gestation. The cups are structures which vary in shape from oval to irregular and have distinct raised edges, showing an ulcer-like form. The maximum measurements are approximately 5 X 2.5 X 2.5 cm. Microscopic examination shows that they consist of large epithelioid decidual-like cells having large nucleoli. Pregnant Mare Endometrium Gonadotrophin (PMEG) is produced in the endometrial cups. PMEG may be regarded as a precursor of Pregnant Mare Serum Gonadotrophi...
Dieleman EF.This review describes research conducted from 1900-1983 on trypanosomiasis due to Trypanosoma evansi in Indonesia. Clinical signs and post-mortem findings in horses, cattle, buffaloes, pigs and dogs, experimental transmission tests to establish possible surra vectors in Indonesia, and research on chemotherapy and chemoprophylaxis are discussed.
Stefani M, Berti A, Camici G, Manao G, Cappugi G, Ramponi G.The use of sodium selenite as a catalyst in the presence of oxygen was a suitable technique to obtain in good yield an interchain S-S dimeric form of horse muscle acylphosphatase. The dimer so obtained possesses kinetic properties very similar to those of the native enzyme. On the other hand the dimer has shown a generally lower stability in respect of the thermal inactivation, particularly in the acidic environment, to the lyophilization and to the proteolytic attack. As regards the 8 M urea inactivation, the dimer is not able to completely regain its activity by dilution, showing a behaviour...
Reinhard F.The conformation of a foal's limbs is of interest beginning in the first days of life. The hoof also must not be neglected. Management and hoof care necessary for normal hoof development are discussed. In addition, pathological hoof shapes and their appropriate treatments are outlined.
