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.
Lindgren G, Naboulsi R, Frey R, Solé M.Equine skin diseases are common, causing increased costs and reduced welfare of affected horses.Genetic testing, if available, can complement early detection, disease diagnosis, and clinical treatment and offers horse breeders the possibility to rule out carrier status. The mechanisms of complex disease can be investigated by using the latest state-of-the-art genomic technologies. Genome-based strategies may also serve as an efficient and cost-effective strategy for the management of the disease severity levels, with particular interest in complex traits such as insect bite hypersensitivity, c...
Steinmann M, Bezugley RJ, Bond SL, Pomrantz JS, Léguillette R.Capsule endoscopy offers a new method for visualization of the gastrointestinal mucosa in horses where other imaging technologies have diagnostic limitations. Objective: To (1) test the feasibility of using this novel endoscopy capsule to visualize intestinal mucosa in horses, including an objective assessment of image quality, (2) assess how changes in preadministration preparation affect the transit time and the amount of gastrointestinal mucosa visualized, and (3) describe intestinal mucosa lesions in healthy horses. Methods: Five healthy adult horses. Methods: Three protocols were used in ...
Tenzin T, Lhamo K, Rai PB, Tshering D, Jamtsho P, Namgyal J, Wangdi T, Letho S, Rai T, Jamtsho S, Dorji C, Rinchen S, Lungten L, Wangmo K, Lungten L....Rabies kills approximately 59,000 people each year worldwide. Rapid and accurate diagnosis of rabies is important for instituting rapid containment measures and for advising the exposed people for postexposure treatment. The application of a rapid diagnostic tests in the field can greatly enhance disease surveillance and diagnostic activities, especially in resource poor settings. In this study, a total of 179 brain tissue samples collected from different rabies suspect animal species (113 dogs, 50 cattle, 10 cats, 3 goats, 2 horses, and 1 bear) were selected and tested using both rapid immuno...
Ibrahim HMM, El-Ashker MR.The present study aimed to provide reference ranges for the wall thickness and motility pattern of the gastrointestinal tract from a sample of donkeys (Equus asinus) population using B-mode ultrasonography. In the present study, 30 clinically healthy donkeys (Equus asinus) (15 males and 15 females), aged 2-20 year old and weighed 100-280 kg were randomly selected for B-mode ultrasonographic scanning of the abdomen. The wall thickness of the stomach, duodenum, jejunum, left colon, right colon, and cecum was assessed. Moreover, the motility pattern of the duodenum, jejunum, left colon, right c...
Pusterla N, Barnum S, Hall JA, Marshall-Lund L, Gebhart C.The objective of this study was to determine if serum amyloid A (SAA), a major acute-phase protein, could help support the diagnosis of equine proliferative enteropathy (EPE) caused by Lawsonia intracellularis infection in foals. Archived serum samples from 101 foals with enteric signs and hypoproteinemia were available for SAA testing. Based on immunodiagnostics for L. intracellularis, the foals were divided into EPE-suspect (67) and non-EPE-suspect cases (34). Serum amyloid A values ranged from 0 to 2,761 μg/mL (median 466 μg/mL) and from 0 to 2,555 μg/mL (median 192 μg/mL) for the ...
Studzińska MB, Sallé G, Roczeń-Karczmarz M, Szczepaniak K, Demkowska-Kutrzepa M, Tomczuk K.Parascaris spp. are major gastro-intestinal nematodes that infect foals and can lead to respiratory symptoms, poor growth, and in some cases obstruction of the small intestine and death. Ivermectin resistance has been reported for Parascaris spp. in many countries. In Poland, the knowledge of the level of resistance against ivermectin in Parascaris spp. is limited. The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy of ivermectin against Parascaris spp. in foals from south-eastern Poland. Foals (n = 225 = reared in 7 stud farms) were treated orally with ivermectin paste. Faecal samples w...
Changoor A, Garon M, Quenneville E, Bull SB, Gordon K, Savard P, Buschmann MD, Hurtig MB.We aimed to demonstrate that electroarthrography (EAG) measures streaming potentials originating in the cartilage extracellular matrix during load bearing through electrodes adhered to skin surrounding an articular joint. Equine metacarpophalangeal joints were subjected to simulated physiological loads while (1) replacing synovial fluid with immersion buffers of different electrolyte concentrations and (2) directly degrading cartilage with trypsin. An inverse relationship between ionic strength and EAG coefficient was detected. Compared to native synovial fluid, EAG coefficients increased ( &l...
Porcellato I, Modesto P, Cappelli K, Varello K, Peletto S, Brachelente C, Martini I, Mechelli L, Ferrari A, Ghelardi A, Razzuoli E.In horses, squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) are the most common malignant tumors developing on non-pigmented skin, muco-cutaneous areas, like external genitalia, and, less frequently, in the stomach. Growing evidence suggests Equus caballus papillomavirus type 2 (EcPV2) as causative agent of genital SCCs. Our case report describes a 20-year-old, female, mixed-breed pony with co-occurring vulvar papilloma and in situ carcinoma and gastric SCC. Both lesions were positive for the same EcPV2, as confirmed by DNA sequencing. E6 mRNA expression was observed both in vulvar lesions and gastric SCC, whi...
Nemoto M, Niwa H, Kida H, Higuchi T, Orita Y, Sato S, Bannai H, Tsujimura K, Ohta M.A rare genotype G13P[18] group A rotavirus (RVA/Horse-tc/JPN/MK9/2019/G13P[18]) was isolated from a diarrhoeic foal for the first time in 28 years. The genotype constellation of the virus was assigned to G13-P[18]-I6-R9-C9-M6-A6-N9-T12-E14-H11 and was the same as that of the first isolated strain, RVA/Horse-tc/GBR/L338/1991/G13P[18]. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that the virus is related to RVA/Horse-tc/GBR/L338/1991/G13P[18] and is distant from typical equine rotaviruses of the G3P[12] and G14P[12] genotypes.
Navas de Solis C.Ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) are often incidental or coincidental with systemic disease. Ventricular arrhythmias are also the most likely cause of many sudden cardiac deaths in horses. This dichotomy creates challenges in the management of horses with VAs. This review presents current knowledge of diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of VAs in horses.
Cakir-Koc R, Budama-Kilinc Y, Ustun E, Babur C.Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite that causes severe health problems in the world. Toxoplasmosis, an infection caused by T. gondii, leads to high risk of mortality in patients with immunodeficiency, transplantation, and cancer. Besides that, it causes miscarriages in pregnancy, various abnormalities such as hydrocephalus in infants and congenital diseases. Because the clinical indication of the disease is not specific, it is confused with many diseases, and this leads to the necessity of directly detecting the presence of the toxoplasmosis. Therefore, various diagnostic assays are needed for th...
El-Hage CM, Bamford NJ, Gilkerson JR, Lynch SE.Ross River virus (RRV) is a mosquito-borne arbovirus of the genus Alphavirus that causes disease in humans and horses in Australia. A temporal association of RRV infection in horses with clinical signs including pyrexia, malaise, and polyarthralgia has been reported, along with reduced athletic performance, often for extended periods. Despite these reports, disease due to RRV remains somewhat controversial as experimental infection of horses has resulted in obvious viraemia yet minimal signs of clinical disease. The relatively high viraemia demonstrated by horses infected with RRV has led to s...
Gabriel CR, Marta P.A two-month-old, Spanish breed, foal was referred with right hind limb lameness of two weeks duration. Clinical examinations confirmed a complex combination of lesions within the lateral femorotibial joint, including a subchondral bone cyst in the lateral femoral condyle, a severe popliteal tendonitis, and a delayed cartilage detachment of the lateral femoral condyle. Because of the complex association of these lesions, poor prognosis for an athletic career was given to the owner. Four years later, the filly is pasture sound. Lesions of the popliteal tendon in the horse are uncommon. The popli...
Ahmadpour S, Esmaeilnejad B, Dalir-Naghadeh B, Asri-Rezaei S.Equine theileriosis due to Theileria equi is probably the most widespread and pathogenic disease of equines, which comes with major cardiac and renal complications. This study was undertaken to investigate the biomarkers of cardiac and renal functions in horses infected with T. equi and determine the association between these parameters and the level of parasitemia. Giemsa-stained blood smears from 300 horses with ages of 3-4 years old were examined for detection of T. equi on erythrocytes. Moreover, multiplex PCR was employed for confirmation of the diagnosis in the 28 positive cases. Based o...
Hann M, Timofte D, Isgren CM, Archer DC.Surgical site infection (SSI) is a leading cause of morbidity in horses undergoing emergency exploratory laparotomy for the treatment of acute colic. The exact mechanism by which SSI develops in these cases is unclear. This prospective observational study investigated whether bacterial translocation occurs in horses with acute colic and if there is an association between bacterial translocation and development of SSI. Peripheral venous blood (PVB) and peritoneal fluid (PF) samples were collected on admission and PF samples were collected at the end of surgery from horses presenting for investi...
Tijssen M, Hernlund E, Rhodin M, Bosch S, Voskamp JP, Nielen M, Serra Braganςa FM.A prolonged break-over phase might be an indication of a variety of musculoskeletal disorders and can be measured with optical motion capture (OMC) systems, inertial measurement units (IMUs) and force plates. The aim of this study was to present two algorithms for automatic detection of the break-over phase onset from the acceleration and angular velocity signals measured by hoof-mounted IMUs in walk and trot on a hard surface. The performance of these algorithms was evaluated by internal validation with an OMC system and a force plate separately. Seven Warmblood horses were equipped with two ...
Kinnison T, Cardwell JM.Inflammatory airway disease (IAD) is a commonly diagnosed but variably defined syndrome of equine lower airway inflammation. The most recent American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) consensus statement, informed by research evidence, recommends a case definition based on clinical signs (poor performance or occasional coughing of at least 3 weeks duration), increased endoscopically-visible tracheal mucus, and bronchoalveolar lavage cytology, and proposes that the condition should be termed 'mild-moderate equine asthma' (mEA). In British Thoroughbred racehorses, research to date ...
Ahmadi Afshar N, Malekifard F, Asri Rezaei S, Tavassoli M.Equine piroplasmosis is a tick-borne protozoal disease affecting horses, mules, donkeys and zebras and can lead to severe economic losses in the equine industry. There is limited information on clinical pathologic changes of equine piroplasmosis in donkeys. This study aims to investigate the impacts of babesiosis on various hematological and biochemical properties in naturally infected donkeys with Theileria equi and Babesia caballi. Methods: A total of 200 apparently healthy donkeys were randomly examined for the presence of equine piroplasmosis in blood samples. Of 200 samples, 11(5.5%) anim...
Lisowski ZM, Sauter KA, Waddell LA, Hume DA, Pirie RS, Hudson NPH.Intestinal macrophages are the largest group of mononuclear phagocytes in the body and play a role in intestinal innate immunity, neuroimmune interactions and maintaining intestinal homeostasis. Conversely, they also are implicated in numerous pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, such as postoperative ileus and inflammatory bowel disease. As a result, macrophages could be potential therapeutic targets. To date, there are limited studies on the morphology and distribution of macrophages in the equine gastrointestinal tract (GIT). The aim of this study was to identify the location and abun...
Akter R, Legione A, Sansom FM, El-Hage CM, Hartley CA, Gilkerson JR, Devlin JM.Equine abortion is a cause of severe economic loss to the equine industry. Equine herpesvirus 1 is considered a primary cause of infectious abortion in horses, however other infectious agents can also cause abortion. Abortions due to zoonotic pathogens have implications for both human and animal health. We determined the prevalence of Coxiella burnetii, Leptospira spp. and Toxoplasma gondii in 600 aborted equine foetal tissues that were submitted to our diagnostic laboratories at the University of Melbourne from 1994 to 2019. Using qPCR we found that the prevalence of C. burnetii was 4%. The h...
Sapone M, Martin P, Ben Mansour K, Château H, Marin F.The development of on-board sensors, such as inertial measurement units (IMU), has made it possible to develop new methods for analyzing horse locomotion to detect lameness. The detection of spatiotemporal events is one of the keystones in the analysis of horse locomotion. This study assesses the performance of four methods for detecting Foot on and Foot off events. They were developed from an IMU positioned on the canon bone of eight horses during trotting recording on a treadmill and compared to a standard gold method based on motion capture. These methods are based on accelerometer and gyro...
Koch DW, Barrett MF, Jackman BR, MacDonald D, Goodrich LR.Aims: To compare the outcome, in terms of lameness score or return to athletic function, of horses with acute vs. chronic digital lameness that underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the distal limb and to compare the proportion of horses that received intra-articular therapy of the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint and pattern of diagnostic analgesia in these groups. Methods: This is a retrospective study of horses (n = 95) with acute (≤12 weeks; n = 46) or chronic (>12 weeks; n = 49) digital lameness that underwent MRI of the distal limb from 2009-2016, at two equine re...
Steyn J, Fourie I, Steyl J, Williams J, Stivaktas V, Botha E, van Niekerk S, Reininghaus B, Venter M.Alphaviruses from Africa, such as Middelburg virus (MIDV), and Sindbis virus (SINV), were detected in horses with neurologic disease in South Africa, but their host ranges remain unknown. We investigated the contribution of alphaviruses to neurologic infections and death in wildlife and domestic animals in this country. During 2010-2018, a total of 608 clinical samples from wildlife and nonequine domestic animals that had febrile, neurologic signs or unexplained deaths were tested for alphaviruses. We identified 32 (5.5%) of 608 alphavirus infections (9 SINV and 23 MIDV), mostly in neurotissue...
Larson EM, Babasyan S, Wagner B.Human IgE-binding monocytes are identified as allergic disease mediators, but it is unknown whether IgE-binding monocytes promote or prevent an allergic response. We identified IgE-binding monocytes in equine peripheral blood as IgE+/MHCIIhigh/CD14low cells that bind IgE through an FcεRI αɣ variant. IgE-binding monocytes were analyzed monthly in Culicoides hypersensitive horses and nonallergic horses living together with natural exposure to Culicoides midges. The phenotype and frequency of IgE-binding monocytes remained consistent in all horses regardless of Culicoides exposure. All horses ...
Puangthong C, Bootcha R, Petchdee S, Chanda M.A 17-year-old mixed breed pony was presented with intermittent neck stiffness during regular training rides in the six months preceding its admission. All parameters were within the normal range, except for an increase in heart rate (48 bpm) during the examination. Concave areas were observed at the level between the atlas and axis vertebrae (C1-C2) on both the left and right sides of the neck. Radiographs were taken of the laterolateral, left ventrodorsal oblique, and right ventrodorsal oblique projections in the cranial cervical region. The images revealed severe structural disorders, includ...
Arnold CE, Isaiah A, Pilla R, Lidbury J, Coverdale JS, Callaway TR, Lawhon SD, Steiner J, Suchodolski JS.Antibiotic administration can be a cause of gastrointestinal disease in horses, creating a disruption in the normal population and function of bacteria found in the hindgut. The objective of this study was to describe the changes in the cecal and fecal microbiomes and metabolomes of clinically healthy horses before and after metronidazole administration. Metronidazole (15 mg/kg BID PO) was given to five horses with cecal cannulas. The study was suspended on Day 3 due to adverse gastrointestinal effects. Cecal and fecal samples were obtained before (Days minus52, m28, m14, and 0) and after (Day...
Marcos R, Ribeiro T, Santos M, Correia-Gomes C, Macedo S, Guimarães T, Blielbernicht M, Caniatti M, Rocha A.Uterine lavage (UL) is a routine diagnostic procedure for endometritis. In UL the fluid is centrifuged and the sediment smeared. Samples prepared in cytocentrifuges, the so-called "cytospins", are useful for evaluating cells in fluids, but never been used in UL. The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of cytospins after UL, comparing automatic versus manual cytocentrifuges, and to determine their value for the diagnosis of endometritis. The study was divided in two parts. Firstly, UL was performed in 16 mares and a small part of the retrieved fluid was cytocentrifuged in an automati...
Magee C, McDaniel S, Turk P, Striegel N, Roman-Muniz IN.The purpose of this study was to learn how perceptions of accuracy and availability of sources affect how members of the Colorado equine industry seek both everyday information and information during an equine disease outbreak. A survey was distributed by email and social media to members of Colorado-based equine organizations. A total of 256 survey responses were obtained from individuals representing a spectrum of ages and roles in the Colorado equine industry. Survey participants predominantly identified as female (95.3%) and their industry role as a horse owner (41%) or a competitive (25.8...
Sassot LN, Ragle CA, Farnsworth KD, Heaton K, Jones ARE.Two mares, aged 15 and 21 years, were examined because of urinary incontinence, intermittent hematuria, and urine scalding. On admission of both horses, physical parameters were within normal limits and urine scalding of the skin at the ventral perineum was noted. Transrectal palpation and cystoscopy revealed a large type I cystolith (>10 cm) with associated hyperemia and focal ulceration of the bladder mucosa. In horse 1, hemogram, serum biochemical analysis, and renal ultrasound were not performed because of owner finances. In horse 2, results from hematological and serum biochemical analys...
Blunden A, Murray R, Dyson S.Lameness associated with lesions of the deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) in the digit is now recognised as an important cause of lameness, but there is currently limited information about the pathological nature of the lesions. Objective: To compare: signal intensity changes on magnetic resonance images with histopathology; and histopathological changes in the DDFT from horses with no history of foot-related lameness (Group C) and horses with lesions of the DDFT confirmed using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (Group D). Methods: Transverse sections of the DDFT were harvested from 3 sites in ...
Calisher CH, Sasso DR, Sather GE.During 1971, an epizootic of Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) reached the United States. Laboratory tests were performed on a large number of sick, healthy, unvaccinated, and vaccinated horses. Neutralization (N) tests in cell cultures revealed that 153 of 193 (79.3%) equines outside the state of Texas and 175 of 204 (85.8%) within Texas (82.6% overall) had detectable N antibody to VEE virus a week or more after vaccination. Twenty-six of 40 (65%) non-Texas equines and 18 of 29 (62%) Texas equines which had no detectable antibody against VEE virus a week or more after vaccination had N ant...
Ma TW, Li Y, Wang GY, Li XR, Jiang RL, Song XP, Zhang ZH, Bai H, Li X, Gao L.The study aimed to clarify the changes in the concentration of inflammatory mediators, proteases, and cartilage degradation biomarkers in the synovial fluid of joints in an equine osteoarthritis model. Methods: Osteoarthritis was induced in eight Mongolian horses by a sterile intra-articular injection of amphotericin B, which was injected into the left carpal joint in a dose of 2 mL (25 mg/mL). The control group comprised five horses which were injected with an equal dose of sterile physiological saline into the left carpal joint. Synovial fluid was obtained at baseline and every week after in...
Isa P, Snodgrass DR.A series of viral reassortants was prepared between equine rotaviruses H1 (G5), H2 (G3), and L338 (G13) and human rotavirus ST3 (G4). All contained the VP4 cognate gene segment 4 from the equine parental virus and the VP7 cognate gene segment 9 from ST3. Using these viruses and antisera prepared to them, it was shown that each of the three equine viruses possessed a serologically distinct VP4 or P serotype with a > or = 16-fold difference in reciprocal cross-neutralization titers. H1 VP4 was closely related to that of porcine virus OSU, i.e., P7. L338 gene 4 was sequenced, and the sequence and...
Theelen MJ, Wilson WD, Edman JM, Magdesian KG, Kass PH.Monitoring the development of antimicrobial resistance is important for the rational selection of appropriate antimicrobial drugs to initiate treatment of foals with sepsis. Objective: To identify temporal trends in antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of bacteria isolated from foals with sepsis. Methods: Retrospective review of medical records. Methods: Foals aged <30 days with a diagnosis of sepsis, confirmed by culture of bacteria, were included. Susceptibility data, expressed as minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) (MIC50 , MIC90 , MIC range) and percent of isolates that were suscepti...
Rockey JH.Eight antigenically unique immunoglobulins have been identified in purified equine anti-p-azophenyl-beta-lactoside (Lac) antibody isolated from a single horse. The Fc fragments of the gammaGa-, gammaGb-, gammaGc-, and -gammaA-globulins have been shown to possess unique antigenic determinants. Common gammaG- and gammaA-Fc fragment antigenic determinants, which were absent from the 10Sgamma(1)- and gammaM-globulins, have also been observed. All antibody populations share two antigenically distinct light (B, L) chain variants. The association of anti-Lac antibody with the hapten p-(p-dimethylamin...
Vannucci FA, Pusterla N, Mapes SM, Gebhart C.Lawsonia intracellularis is the causative agent of proliferative enteropathy, an endemic disease in pigs and an emerging concern in horses. Enterocyte hyperplasia is a common lesion in every case but there are differences regarding clinical and pathological presentations among affected species. We hypothesize that host susceptibility to L. intracellularis infection depends on the species of origin of the bacterial isolate. The objective of this study was to evaluate the susceptibilities of pigs and horses to L. intracellularis infection using either a porcine or an equine isolate. Methods: Twe...
Spier SJ, Carlson GP, Holliday TA, Cardinet GH, Pickar JG.Eleven horses (3 mares, 7 stallions, 1 gelding) with clinical and biochemical evidence of hyperkalemic periodic paralysis were studied. Each horse had history of episodic weakness, muscular tremors, or collapse, which lasted for periods of a few minutes to hours. Diagnosis was based on hyperkalemia in association with a spontaneous episode of paralysis or by precipitation of an episode by oral administration of potassium chloride. Clinical and biochemical events were documented during spontaneous and induced episodes of muscular weakness. During episodes, electrocardiographic findings were con...
Anderson GS, Belton P, Kleider N.Six horses from British Columbia severely affected by Culicoides hypersensitivity, a seasonal dermatitis caused by the bites of Culicoides spp., were inoculated intradermally with extracts of six species or forms of Culicoides from British Columbia, United States, and Israel. Two native and four exotic species were thought to cause the disease in their own geographical area. The horses developed large welts within 20 min after injection of any of the six extracts, indicating an immediate (type I) reaction. The skin reactions caused by each extract peaked at or after 24 h, indicating an additio...
Solismaa M, Laaksonen S, Nylund M, Pitkänen E, Airakorpi R, Oksanen A.In autumn 2006, Finnish meat inspection data revealed lesions in tendons, muscles and ligaments of bovine hind legs leading to partial condemnation of carcasses. In gross pathological examination at Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira, Oulu (now Fish and Wildlife Health) Research Unit, Onchocerca sp. (Filarioidea; Onchocercidae) nematodes were detected in lesions. Due to this, a pilot study was made in order to find out what filarioid nematodes do occur in cattle, horses and sheep in Finland. Methods: Ventral skin biopsies from 209 dairy cattle and 42 horses, as well as blood samples from 209 ...
Ross SE, Murray JK, Roberts VLH.Headshaking in horses has been reported to be most commonly due to idiopathic neuropathic facial pain (trigeminal-mediated headshaking). The prevalence of headshaking in horses in the UK is unknown. Objective: To estimate owner-reported prevalence of headshaking in horses in the UK and to report their case background and disease characteristics, as reported by owners. Methods: Cross-sectional web based owner questionnaire. Methods: The questionnaire was advertised online via social media, horse forums, veterinary websites and equestrian magazines from 17th June 2016, until >1000 responses had ...
Parry BW, Anderson GA, Gay CC.The present retrospective study compared objectively the prognostic value of many variables routinely used in the assessment of equine colic cases. The best prognostic variables were those which assessed the integrity of cardiovascular function. Ranked in order of decreasing merit the following variables were able to discriminate between horses which lived and those which died: systolic pressure, blood lactate concentration, oral mucous membrane capillary refill time, diastolic pressure, arterial pulse amplitude, degree of mental depression, blood urea concentration, haematocrit, heart rate, h...
Pollard D, Wylie CE, Verheyen KLP, Newton JR.Equine laminitis is a complex disease that manifests as pain and lameness in the feet, often with debilitating consequences. There is a paucity of data that accounts for the multifactorial nature of laminitis and considers time-varying covariates that may be associated with disease development; particularly those that are modifiable and present potential interventions. A previous case-control study identified a number of novel, modifiable factors associated with laminitis which warranted further investigation and corroboration. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with equi...
Costa LR, Seahorn TL, Moore RM, Taylor HW, Gaunt SD, Beadle RE.To correlate clinical score, intrapleural pressure, cytologic findings of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and histologic lesions of pulmonary tissue in horses affected with summer pasture-associated obstructive pulmonary disease (SPAOPD). Methods: 8 adult horses affected with SPAOPD and 6 adult horses without evidence of respiratory tract disease. Methods: Clinical score, change in intrapleural pressure (deltaPpl) during tidal breathing, results of cytologic examination and bacteriologic culture of BALF, and results of histologic examination of pulmonary parenchyma were evaluated. Results...
van der Kolk JH, Pacholewska A, Gerber V.The search for new markers of diseases in human as well as veterinary medicine is ongoing. Recently, microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) have emerged as potential new biomarkers. MiRNAs are short sequences of RNA (∼22 nucleotides) that regulate gene expression via their target messenger RNA (mRNA). Circulating miRNAs in blood can be used as novel diagnostic markers for diseases due to their evolutionary conservation and stability. As a consequence of their systemic and manifold effects on the gene expression in various target organs, the concept that miRNAs could function as hormones has been suggest...
Kirker-Head CA, Chandna VK, Agarwal RK, Morris EA, Tidwell A, O'Callaghan MW, Rand W, Kumar MS.To correlate substance P content of synovial fluid with prostaglandin E2 content, radiographic evidence of joint abnormality, and anatomic location of the joint for normal and osteoarthritic joints of horses. Methods: Synovial fluid from 46 normal joints in 21 horses and 16 osteoarthritic joints in 10 horses. Methods: Normal and osteoarthritic joints were identified by clinical and radiographic examination, by response to nerve blocks, during scintigraphy or surgery, or by clinicopathologic evaluation. Substance P and prostaglandin E2 contents of synovial fluid were determined by radioimmunoas...
Wetzig M, Venner M, Giguère S.Given the importance of rifampin in treatment protocols for tuberculosis in people, its use in veterinary medicine is under increasing scrutiny in some countries and alternatives might be needed in the near future. Objective: This study was set up to evaluate whether azithromycin combined with doxycycline is effective for the treatment of bronchopneumonia in foals and noninferior to the combination of azithromycin and rifampin. Methods: This is a controlled, randomised and double-blinded clinical trial. Two hundred and forty foals on a farm endemic for infections caused by Rhodococcus equi wer...
The objective of this study was to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of the standard microbiological protocol to assure the evaluation of bacterial endometritis in the equine clinical practice. Four hundred fifty-two equine uterine swabs were seeded on different types of agar plates and then in a broth-enrichment (Brain Heart Infusion Broth) before plating by using the same media the day after. The prevalence of positivity was 33.7% following direct plating and 66.3% following use of added enrichment-broth phase before seeding on solid media. Furthermore, the prevalence of isolated bacteria ...
Cummings KJ, Perkins GA, Khatibzadeh SM, Warnick LD, Aprea VA, Altier C.OBJECTIVE To describe the antimicrobial resistance patterns of Salmonella isolates obtained from horses in the northeastern United States and to identify trends in resistance to select antimicrobials over time. SAMPLE 462 Salmonella isolates from horses. PROCEDURES Retrospective data were collected for all Salmonella isolates obtained from equine specimens that were submitted to the Cornell University Animal Health Diagnostic Center between January 1, 2001, and December 31, 2013. Temporal trends in the prevalence of resistant Salmonella isolates were investigated for each of 13 antimicrobials ...
Doucet MY, Viel L.The objective of this study was to determine if a quantitative scoring system for evaluation of hemosiderin content of alveolar macrophages obtained by bronchoalevolar lavage provides a more sensitive test for the detection of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) in horses than does endoscopy of the lower airways. A sample population composed of 74 Standardbred racehorses aged 2-5 years was used. Horses were grouped as either control (EIPH-negative) or EIPH-positive based on history and repeated postexertional endoscopic evaluation of the bronchial airways. Bronchoalveolar lavage was p...
Mazan MR, Hoffman AM, Manjerovic N.To compare response of horses to histamine bronchoprovocation (HBP), using total respiratory resistance (Rrs) measured by forced oscillatory mechanics (FOM) with dynamic compliance (Cdyn) and pulmonary resistance (RL) measured by the esophageal balloon method. Methods: 10 horses with various degrees of airway reactivity. Methods: The 2 methods for measuring airway responses to HBP were performed on separate days. Endpoints compared were increase of 150 or 200% of baseline Rrs (PC150Rrs, PC200Rrs) and to 150% of baseline RL (PC150RL) or decrease to 65% of baseline Cdyn (PC65Cdyn). Frequency dep...
Coudry V, Thibaud D, Riccio B, Audigié F, Didierlaurent D, Denoix JM.To evaluate the efficacy of tiludronate for the treatment of horses with signs of pain associated with lesions of the thoracolumbar vertebral column. Methods: 29 horses with clinical manifestations of pain associated with lesions of the thoracolumbar vertebral column and abnormal radiographic findings indicative of osteoarthritis of the articular processes-synovial intervertebral joints. Methods: Horses were initially examined in accordance with a standardized protocol, which included radiographic, ultrasonographic, and scintigraphic examinations. Fifteen horses were randomly assigned to recei...
Spolidorio MG, Labruna MB, Machado RZ, Moraes-Filho J, Zago AM, Donatele DM, Pinheiro SR, Silveira I, Caliari KM, Yoshinari NH.Blood samples collected from 201 humans, 92 dogs, and 27 horses in the state of Espirito Santo, Brazil, were tested by polymerase chain reaction, indirect immunofluorescence assays, and indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for tick-borne diseases (rickettsiosis, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, borreliosis, babesiosis). Our results indicated that the surveyed counties are endemic for spotted fever group rickettsiosis because sera from 70 (34.8%) humans, 7 (7.6%) dogs, and 7 (25.9%) horses were reactive to at least one of the six Rickettsia species tested. Although there was evidence of ehrlic...
Dunkel B, McKenzie HC.Sporadic measurement of serum triglycerides in depressed and inappetant clinically ill horses revealed severe hypertriglyceridaemia without visible evidence of lipaemia on several occasions, leading to the inclusion of serum triglyceride concentrations in the routine serum biochemistry evaluation of our hospital. Since then, more cases have been identified and treated for hypertriglyceridaemia, raising questions about the prevalence, predisposing factors and significance of these findings. Objective: 1) Severe hypertriglyceridaemia without visible opacity of the serum occurs more commonly in c...
Peffers MJ, Thornton DJ, Clegg PD.Osteoarthritis is characterized by a loss of extracellular matrix that leads to cartilage degradation and joint space narrowing. Specific proteases, including the aggrecanases ADAMTS-4 and matrix metalloproteinase 3, are important in initiating and promoting cartilage degradation in osteoarthritis. This study investigated protease-specific and disease-specific cleavage patterns of particular extracellular matrix proteins by comparing new peptide fragments, neopeptides, in specific exogenous protease-driven digestion of a crude cartilage proteoglycan extract and an in-vitro model of early osteo...
Bosshard S, Gerber V.It is often assumed that horses with mild respiratory clinical signs, such as mucous nasal discharge and occasional coughing, have an increased risk of developing recurrent airway obstruction (RAO). Objective: Compared to horses without any clinical signs of respiratory disease, those with occasional coughing, mucous nasal discharge, or both have an increased risk of developing signs of RAO (frequent coughing, increased breathing effort, exercise intolerance, or a combination of these) as characterized by the Horse Owner Assessed Respiratory Signs Index (HOARSI 1-4). Methods: Two half-sibling ...
Wagner B, Childs BA, Erb HN.Skin hypersensitivity is an allergic disease induced in horses by allergens of Culicoides midges. The condition is typically diagnosed by clinical signs and in some horses in combination with allergy testing such as intradermal skin testing or serological allergen-specific IgE determination. Here, we describe an alternative method for allergy testing: a histamine release assay (HRA) that combines the functional aspects of skin testing with the convenience of submitting a blood sample. The assay is based on the principle that crosslinking of allergen-specific IgE bound via high-affinity IgE rec...
McFadden AM, Hanlon D, McKenzie RK, Gibson I, Bueno IM, Pulford DJ, Orr D, Dunowska M, Stanislawek WL, Spence RP, McDonald WL, Munro G, Mayhew IG.On 9 January 2014 (Day 0) a mare from a stud farm in the Waikato region presented with urinary incontinence without pyrexia. Over the following 33 days 15 mares were clinically affected with neurological signs. All but one mare had a foal at foot. The most commonly observed clinical signs were hind limb paresis and ataxia. In some cases recumbency occurred very early in the course of disease and seven mares were subject to euthanasia for humane reasons. Results: Equid herpesvirus (EHV) type 1 was detected using PCR in various tissues collected post mortem from two mares with neurological signs...
McFarlane D, Beech J, Cribb A.Thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) stimulates an increase in plasma cortisol in horses with pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID, Cushing's disease). A similar phenomenon is observed in humans with Cushing's disease or Nelson's syndrome. The mechanism of the response in humans is not known, but an alteration in receptor expression, selectivity or responsiveness in abnormal corticotropes has been proposed. Horses with PPID, unlike humans, almost exclusively have adenomas of pars intermedia (PI) rather than pars distalis (PD) origin. Therefore, the mechanism responsible for the TRH response observ...
Pusterla N, Leutenegger CM, Chae JS, Lutz H, Kimsey RB, Dumler JS, Madigan JE.This paper describes the kinetics of the human granulocytic ehrlichiosis agent in the blood of horses experimentally infected by intravenous inoculation with infected leukocytes and by infected ticks as evaluated by using a real-time quantitative PCR assay. The data obtained indicated differences in the period of incubation, duration of rickettsemia, and initial and maximal ehrlichial loads between the two routes of infection.
