The study of diseases in horses encompasses a wide range of conditions affecting equine health, including infectious diseases, metabolic disorders, and genetic abnormalities. These diseases can impact various systems within the horse, such as respiratory, gastrointestinal, and musculoskeletal systems, and can lead to significant health challenges. Research in this area focuses on understanding the pathophysiology, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of equine diseases. Common diseases studied include equine influenza, equine herpesvirus, and laminitis. This page provides access to peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the etiology, clinical presentation, and management strategies of diseases in horses, contributing to the advancement of equine veterinary medicine.
Hartmann E, Baumgärtner W, Hungerland C.The present report describes the clinical and pathological findings of a one year old foal presented with paralysis of the hind legs. Macroscopically and histologically, a lymphosarcoma in the vertebral body and the adjacent epidural space of T 16, in the spleen and the mesenterial lymph nodes was observed. The adjacent spinal cord showed focal degenerative changes characterized by dilatation of myelin sheaths, swollen axons and few macrophages.
Bermudez V, Miller RB, Johnson W, Rosendal S, Ruhnke L.The growth of Mycoplasma equigenitalium and Mycoplasma subdolum from specimens collected from the clitoral fossa of each of four Standardbred mares was not diminished by freezing of the specimens in liquid nitrogen (-196 degrees C) for up to 30 days when compared to samples cultured immediately.
Browning GF, Ficorilli N, Studdert MJ.Two previously unknown and distinct herpesviruses were isolated from donkeys. One, with the characteristics of a betaherpesvirus, was isolated from the leukocytes of an apparently healthy donkey, while the second, an alphaherpesvirus, was recovered from the nasal cavity of donkeys given high doses of corticosteroids, and caused rhinitis in two seronegative weanling donkeys when they were intranasally infected. Few, if any, restriction endonuclease fragments were shared by the donkey betaherpesvirus, equine herpesvirus 2 (EHV 2) or EHV 5, a second distinctly different equine betaherpesvirus, no...
Angelos J, Oppenheim Y, Rebhun W, Mohammed H, Antczak DF.The relationship between breed and the risk of developing sarcoid tumours or uveitis of unknown etiology was evaluated in a retrospective study of 16242 equine cases admitted between 1975 and 1987 to the New York State College of Veterinary Medicine Large Animal Hospital, and 3198 equine tissue samples sent to the New York State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory between 1977 and 1987. Of 120 sarcoid cases from the Large Animal Hospital, sarcoids were twice as likely to develop in Quarter Horses (odds ratio, OR = 1.8, P less than 0.05) relative to Thoroughbreds and less than half as likely to de...
Perryman LE, Wyatt CR, Magnuson NS, Mason PH.Monoclonal antibodies specific for equine T lymphocyte subpopulations were produced and procedures for the continuous culture of equine lymphocytes were developed. These reagents and procedures were used to analyse the appearance, maturation and functions of T lymphocytes in normal horses and in T lymphocyte deficient horses with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID). T lymphocytes appeared as early as the 75th day of fetal development and were normally distributed prior to birth of normal foals. Analysis of thymic T lymphocyte differentiation in SCID foals revealed the presence of both prot...
Traub-Dargatz JL, Bertone JJ, Gould DH, Wrigley RH, Weiser MG, Forney SD.Effects of a therapeutic dose of flunixin meglumine on gastric mucosa of horse foals were determined by endoscopy, double-contrast radiography, and gross and histologic examinations. Foals were administered 1.1 mg of flunixin meglumine/kg of body weight, PO/day for 30 days in an encapsulated form that was divided into 2 doses/day (group 1; n = 3) or by IM injection once a day (group 2; n = 7). Three control foals (group 3; n = 3) were administered capsules (n = 1) containing dextrose powder or IM injections (n = 2) of vehicle solution without flunixin meglumine. All 3 groups-1 foals given flun...
Adams R, Koterba AM, Cudd TC, Baker WA.The medical records of 18 neonatal foals, in which exploratory celiotomies were performed for suspected urinary tract lesions, were reviewed. Despite clinical signs and laboratory values indicative of disruption of the urinary tract, three foals did not have a site of urinary tract leakage at surgery. Eight foals had ruptured bladders and seven foals had urachal lesions. Ultrasonography was used as a pre-operative diagnostic procedure in eight foals to evaluate the presence of free peritoneal fluid and urinary tract integrity. Nine foals were alive six months after discharge. Seven of the nine...
Jaeschke G, Wintzer HJ.This is a review on Morbus maculosus equorum (purpura haemorrhagica) on the base of literature data and of a case report on 13 own patients. It is shown, that the clinical picture of this disease has not changed within the last 150 years. Clinical main symptoms are haemorrhagic diathesis (petechiae, ecchymosis, suggillations) as well as peripheral edema and fever. The main haematological findings are neutrophilia, mostly going along with shift to the left and lymphopenia. In the last few years thrombocytopenia was also described in some cases. Basic therapeutics are glucocorticoids and penicil...
Kuttler KL, Goff WL, Gipson CA, Blackburn BO.Both the complement-fixation test (CFT) and the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) were conducted on weekly serum samples from nine Arab geldings for 28 days before and 256 days after their exposure to Babesia equi of European origin. On an average the IFAT became positive 8 days before the CFT and showed higher relative serum titer increases. Both test procedures successfully detected infection and neither showed an appreciable drop in titer during this time frame, with the exception of the CFT, which showed a transient drop immediately following treatment with imidocarb. A test conduc...
Bostedt H, Lehmann B, Peip D.Based on a group of 33 mares infected with mastitis, data regarding the time of appearance, the clinical symptoms and the bacteriological causes of the disease were evaluated. The cases were distributed as follows: 27.3% before delivery, 24.2% immediately after delivery (until the third day), 12.1% during the middle and late stages of lactation, 9.1% immediately after the weaning of the foal and 27.3% outside the lactation period of non-pregnant mares. The clinical picture is described. In the majority of the cases, both halves of the udder were infected. The analysis of the bacteriological re...
Katila T.Altogether 156 equine endometrial biopsies were carried out during the post partum (p.p.) period: immediately after parturition until 15 days after foaling. The histological changes are described. The rapid restoration of the equine endometrium is remarkable. The destruction of the luminal epithelium is minor and regeneration takes place rapidly. Remnants of the placenta, the microcotyledons and desquamated cells, have disappeared by 5 p.p. The transformation of glands from a pronounced secretory pattern to normal appearance also takes only 5 days. The occurrence of neutrophils and lymphocytes...
Nansen P, Grønvold J, Henriksen SA, Wolstrup J.Interactions between the predacious hyphomycete Arthrobotrys oligospora and third-stage larvae of nine animal-parasitic nematodes were tested in vitro. The trap-inducing capabilities of the ruminant trichostrongylus Cooperia oncophora, C. curticei, Haemonchus contortus and Ostertagia ostertagi and of equine cyathostomes were almost comparable to those of free-living soil nematodes, and significantly higher than those of the porcine Oesophagostomum dentatum and Oe. quadrispinulatum and of the murine Nematospiroides dubius. The trap-forming potential of Dictyocaulus viviparus was poor. All anima...
Mfitilodze MW, Hutchinson GW.The development of the free-living stages and yields of infective third stage strongyle larvae in faeces from a horse with a mixed natural infection deposited on pasture plots were studied over a 2-year period in a coastal area in tropical north Queensland. Two sets of faecal masses (one exposed to, and the other protected from the action of a natural population of dung beetles) were deposited monthly and after 7 days faecal samples were taken for larval recovery and counts. Hatching and development of the free-living stages occurred in faeces on pasture throughout the year. Development was ra...
Bowling AT, Ewalt-Evans R.Family data are presented for a new allele (Aabdg) in the A system of horse erythrocyte alloantigens which includes factors Aa and Ab traditionally thought to be products of allelic genes. Evidence for incorrect assignment of the codominant factor Ae in the presence of Ab and Ac and the absence of Aa is discussed.
Wyatt CR, Magnuson NS, Perryman LE.Six monoclonal antibodies, designated EqT2, EqT3, EqT6, EqT7, EqT12, and EqT13, which identify T lymphocyte antigens present at different stages of T cell maturation were used to examine T lymphocyte development in foals with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID). Flow microfluorimetry demonstrated the presence of EqT12+ and EqT13+ prothymocytes and a few phenotypically mature EqT2+ and EqT3+ thymocytes within the thymic remnants of SCID foals. However, very few EqT6+ and EqT7+ resident cortical thymocytes were detected. The near absence of EqT6+ and EqT7+ cortical thymocytes was confirmed b...
Moran CT, James ER.Eyes from 292 old (15-20 years) horses originating in the eastern, southeastern and midwestern United States were examined for the presence of Onchocerca cervicalis microfilariae (mf) and concurrently for anterior and posterior segment ocular pathological changes. One-hundred-fifty-three animals (52.4%) were positive for dermal mf (range 0.03-5,364/mg). Of these, 60 animals had anterior segment changes. An additional 58 animals with pathological changes had no dermal mf. Mf were recovered from the ocular tissues of 18% of animals (range 0.07-29/mg). All animals with ocular mf were positive for...
Bayly WM.It is the purpose of this article to review much of the information that is available regarding the adjunctive use of clinicopathologic data in evaluations of performance horses by veterinarians. Wherever possible, distinctions are made between findings that pertain to racehorses and those that apply most specifically to horses involved in "submaximal" events like combined training and endurance races. It is hoped that the material presented will clarify some of the problems associated with the interpretation of this data, and possibly stimulate the dissemination of additional information that...
Riggs MW.Currently recognized equine immune deficiency disorders include failure of passive colostral immunoglobulin transfer, combined immunodeficiency, selective IgM deficiency, transient hypogammaglobulinemia, and agammaglobulinemia. Additional equine immune deficiency disorders probably exist. Immune deficiency should be suspected in any horse experiencing persistent or recurrent infections that are not responsive to conventional therapy.
Sugiura T, Matsumura T, Fukunaga Y, Hirasawa K.A sero-epizootiological study was conducted on horses which showed clinical pyrexia at two training centers, each of which maintained 1, 200 to 2, 100 racehorses for training, of the Japan Racing Association. It continued from 1980 to 1985 to clarify the cause of pyrexia, so that measures might be considered for the prevention of infectious disease. A total of 3, 849 horses were found to be affected with pyrexia for the 6 years. Of them, 2, 852 horses were tested to equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1), equine rhinovirus type 1 (ERhV-1), rotavirus and equine adenovirus (EAdV) by collecting paired...
Romagnoli SE, Momont HW, Hilbert BJ, Metz A.Two yearling, paternal half-sibling Appaloosa fillies were ovariohysterectomized for treatment of multiple uterocervical leiomyomas. The tumors recurred in both fillies, originating from cervical tissue that could not be removed at surgery. Previously reported cases of uterine leiomyoma in the mare have been of solitary tumors in older mares that were treated successfully by surgical removal.
Kohn CW, Chew DJ.Laboratory evaluation of renal function in horses has advanced dramatically in the last 10 years largely as a result of the interest generated by the creative approach to diagnostic indices taken by Brobst, Traver, Coffman, and others. Some methods of assessing renal function discussed here are clearly outside the scope of a practice environment but are available in referral hospitals for use in difficult or unusual cases. Other methods described, such as calculation of fractional excretions and urine to serum creatinine ratios, are accessible and readily interpreted by the veterinary practiti...
Hansen S, Olsen E, Raundal M, Agerholm JS.Cerebellar abiotrophy (CA) is an uncommon hereditary neurodegenerative disorder affecting the cerebellar Purkinje cells. Equine CA has been reported in several breeds, but a genetic etiology has only been confirmed in the Arabian breed, where CA is caused by an autosomal recessive mutation. Methods: Clinical and histological findings consistent with CA are reported in an 8.5-month-old Icelandic filly. The filly showed a perceived sudden onset of marked head tremor, incoordination, ataxia, lack of menace response and a broad-based stance. Cerebrospinal fluid, hematological and biochemical findi...
Rose RJ.Complications from neurectomy have been well known for many years. A 16-year-old mare suffered bilateral luxation of the coffin joints following palmar neurectomy and was destroyed. Autopsy showed complete rupture of the deep flexor tendons, and the supporting ligaments of the coffin joints. Arthritis of the coffin joints, with erosion of articular cartilage was evident.
Lecoq L, Gains M, Blond L, Parent J.Age and rate of acoustic stimulation affect peak latencies in brainstem auditory evoked responses (BAER) in humans. Those effects are unknown in foals. Objective: Our goals were to (1) establish reference values for BAER in foals by using 3 different stimulation protocols, (2) evaluate the effects of age and stimulation frequencies on BAER tracing in foals up to 6 months old, and (3) compare the data with BAER obtained from foals with central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Methods: Thirty-nine neurologically normal foals and 16 foals with neurologic diseases. Methods: Prospective observationa...
Nedjari M.Investigations to occurrence of Sarcocystiosis of domestic animals in Algeria were carried out by different methods--Immunofluorescence (IFAT), macroscopic and microscopic examinations of muscle, coproscopia. Positive results could be found in intermediate hosts--362 of 537 cattle, 188 of 292 sheep, 13 of 57 horses and in the final hosts dogs and cats. Muscle-probes from cattle contained S. cruzi (58.7 respectively 61.0%), S. hirsuta (48.9 respectively 35.0%), from sheep S. tenella (61.0 respectively 59.6%, S. arieticanis (38.8 respectively 40.3%), from horses S. bertrami (24.5%). IFAT-data of...
Socha W, Larska M, Rola J.Susceptibility to long-term persistent infection with Equine Arteritis Virus (EAV) in stallions is related with EqCXCL16 gene alleles of the host. In our study EqCXCL16 gene alleles were determined for 63 EAV shedders and 126 non-shedders of various horse breeds. In total, 60 (31.7%) out of 189 tested stallions were identified as carriers of susceptible variants of EqCXCL16 by real time PCR and Sanger sequencing. The presence of susceptible genotype was related to horse breed with the highest percentage in Wielkopolska breed, Polish coldblood and Silesian breed horses. Strong correlation betwe...
Carpenter TE, McBride MD, Hird DW.We examined the risk of importing and mistakenly releasing equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV)-infected horses into California. A computer simulation model was constructed to evaluate current and alternative quarantine station procedures; 150,000 iterations were performed to simulate 15 different scenarios of 10,000 horses imported into the state over a 14-year period. Simulation results showed that under current conditions of low EIAV prevalence in exporting countries, increasing the quarantine period would not decrease the number of EIAV-infected horses mistakenly released from quarantine....
Yager JA, Foster SF, Zink MC, Prescott JF, Lumsden JH.Polymorphonuclear leukocytes from adult horses were separated from whole blood, using a 2-step Percoll gradient, and were tested for bactericidal function against Corynebacterium equi. Staphylococcus aureus, an organism against which equine neutrophils have proved efficacy, was a positive control. The percentage of uptake after a 15-minute preincubation of the neutrophils and bacteria in the presence of normal horse serum was also calculated. The results indicated that equine neutrophils effectively phagocytosed and killed C equi and S aureus. The percentage of uptake for S aureus (95% +/- 3%)...
Hryhorczuk DO, Withrow WA, Hesse CS, Beasley VR.The authors investigated an outbreaks of unusual illnesses in humans and horses residing within 1.3 km of a wire reclamation incinerator. The study included site visits; medical and veterinary examinations; analyses of furnace ash, fly ash, soil, and biologic samples for air residues. Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxins (TCDDs) and tetrachlorodibenzofurans (TCDFs) were discovered in furnace ash, fly ash, soil, horse fat, and horse liver samples.
Cedrola F, Bordim S, D'Agosto M, Dias RJP.The aims of this study were to identify and quantify the gastrointestinal ciliates from Brazilian domestic horses, to compare the data obtained with previous studies and to review data on ciliate communities associated with horses around the world. We used eight domestic horses, kept under extensive management. Fecal samples were obtained immediately after defecation of animals and fixed in 18.5% formaldehyde. We identify 24 species of endosymbiotic ciliates, distributed in two subclasses, two orders, five families and 13 genera. The ciliate composition was similar among the animals analyzed. ...
Vitums A, Bayly WM.Three Arabian males foals were presented with cyanosis, heart murmur, and exercise intolerance, Results of clinical evaluation suggested a tentative diagnosis of ventricular septal defect in conjunction with malformations of the great arteries. Each foal had a poor prognosis and was killed at the owners' requests. At necropsy, the malformed hearts of the three foals were virtually identical. Each heart had a large defect in the upper interventricular septum. The aorta originated from the hypertrophied right ventricle and partially overrode the ventricular septal defect. The aortic ostium was g...
Beech J, Fletcher JE, Tripolitis L, Lindborgh S.The effects of phenytoin treatment were evaluated in 2 myotonic horses with hyperkalemic periodic paralysis (HPP). Phenytoin treatment abolished the clinical signs of muscle fasciculations following oral potassium challenge and decreased or abolished repetitive firing and myotonic discharges found on electromyographic examination. In both horses, an abnormally low threshold for calcium-induced calcium release was measured in heavy sarcoplasmic reticulum fractions from skeletal muscle, and this threshold increased with phenytoin treatment. Results suggest phenytoin is useful in modifying disord...
Agnihotri K, Pease B, Oakey J, Campbell G.In 2011, a 2-year-old horse in northern Queensland, Australia, was reported to have developed mild neurologic signs, and a blood sample was submitted for laboratory investigation. Virus isolation was performed using the blood sample, and an orbivirus was isolated. This was confirmed to be a strain of Elsey virus (ELSV) after transmission electron microscopy and nucleotide sequencing. The nucleotide sequence was compared with those in GenBank, and had 100% identity with ELSV previously reported from the Northern Territory, Australia. ELSV is taxonomically closely related to Peruvian horse sickn...
Reef VB, Mann PC, Orsini PG.M-mode, 2-dimensional, and contrast echocardiographic studies were used to detect tricuspid atresia in 2 foals. M-mode echocardiographic findings included a small right ventricle, large left ventricle, large mitral valve excursion, large left atrium (foal 2), dropout of the cranial aspect of the aortic root, and a thick band of echoes in the tricuspid valve region. These findings were confirmed by 2-dimensional echocardiography. In addition, a large right atrium, persistent foramen ovale, ventricular septal defect, and large mitral valve apparatus were imaged. One foal also had a thick right a...
Ellison RS, Jacobs RM.This study was undertaken to ascertain if the isoelectric focusing pattern of serum alkaline phosphatase (AP) from sick horses with high activity is useful for determining its tissue origin. The effect of oral prednisolone and phenylbutazone therapy on this enzyme in healthy horses was also investigated. The sick horses were divided into three groups: hepatic, intestinal and miscellaneous. All sera had approximately thirteen bands of AP activity when focused on agarose gels with a pH gradient of 3.5 to 9.5. All the horses in the liver disease group had greater than 65% of enzyme activity in ba...
Harrington JR, Wilkerson CP, Brake CN, Cohen ND.The innate immune system plays a critical role in protecting neonates against infections early in life and Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are key components of innate immune recognition of pathogens. This study examined the effects of age and stimulation with a TLR 7/8 agonist (R848) on TLR8 mRNA expression by foal neutrophils during the first month of life. We also examined the effects of R848 stimulation on mRNA expression of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 at 1 and 14 days of life. We observed that TLR8 mRNA was constitutively expressed (P<0.05) at all ages examined, and its expression did not c...
Lescun TB, Morisset SM, Fugaro MN, Blevins WE.A 3-month-old Quarter Horse colt sustained a penetrating injury over the coronary band on the right forelimb resulting in an articular bone sequestrum and septic arthritis of the distal interphalangeal joint. Despite aggressive treatment for septic arthritis, severe osteoarthritis and ongoing sepsis resulted in persistent lameness. Facilitated ankylosis of the distal interphalangeal joint was performed using a combination of open surgical debridement, placement of an autogenous cancellous bone graft and stabilisation within a transfixation cast. Bony ankylosis of the joint was observed radiogr...
van Wuijckhuise-Sjouke LA.Meconium constipation is observed in a number of foals during every foaling period. The literature on the clinical picture, methods of treatment and complications, is reviewed in the present paper. In addition, the cases of seventy-five foals are reviewed, in which meconium constipation was suspected and which were submitted to the Internal Disease Department of Large Animals during the period from 1972 to 1982. The clinical picture was found to be due to another disorder in nine cases. Treatment with castor oil and alcohol resulted in discharge of the meconium in fifty-eight cases. Complicati...
Segura D, Monreal L, Armengou L, Tarancón I, Brugués R, Escolar G.Mean platelet component (MPC) is a new platelet variable, measured by modern commercial complete blood count analyzers, that is reduced during platelet activation in humans and small animals. Objective: MPC decreases in horses with clinical conditions that cause platelet activation and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Methods: We obtained 418 CBCs from 100 sick and 20 healthy neonates and 178 sick and 45 sound adult horses. Sick neonates were classified into septic and nonseptic, and DIC and non-DIC groups. Adults were grouped by diagnoses (systemic inflammatory disorders, gastroi...
Smith KC, Tearle JP, Boyle MS, Gower SM, Mumford JA.Equid herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1; Ab4 isolate) was inoculated unilaterally into the cavum vaginale of four pony colts under general anaesthesia. The animals were monitored daily for evidence of scrotal or testicular swelling and euthanased electively on days 3, 4, 6 and 12 after infection. Detailed pathological examination of the male genital tract was carried out. In animals examined at days 3 and 4 after infection, replication of EHV-1 was detected bilaterally in mesothelial and endothelial cells of the parietal and visceral vaginal tunics. The mesothelial infection had resolved by day 12 after in...
Collins NM, Carrick JB, Russell CM, Axon JE.To evaluate hypernatraemia in foals presenting as medical emergencies to an intensive care unit (ICU) to determine the prevalence, clinical findings, primary diagnosis and outcome. Methods: Retrospective case study of records from Thoroughbred foals aged less than 3 months that presented to an ICU as medical emergencies in 2002-12. Data retrieved included signalment, clinical findings, laboratory results, primary diagnosis and outcome. Foals with hypernatraemia (serum sodium > 145 mmol/L) on admission laboratory data were identified and further evaluated. Results: A total of 39 of 171...
Rusek J, Klumplerova M, Molinkova D, Sedlinska M, Dusek L, Muzik J, Putnova L, Vrtkova I, Celer V, Horin P.Individual variation in immune responses to herpesviruses was observed in various species. Here, associations between polymorphic molecular markers and life-long anti-EHV-1/4 antibody immune responses were analyzed in a model EHV-infected population of the Old Kladruber horses. Two-dimensional analysis including overall mean titers and titer dynamics expressed by differences between spring and autumn titers allowed identification of low-responders. 50 randomly selected microsatellites and nine single nucleotide polymorphisms in nine immunity-related candidate genes were genotyped. Due to diffe...
Green SL, Cochrane SM, Smith-Maxie L.Ten cases of equine Horner's syndrome were reviewed. None of the clinical signs in this series were transient (<48 hours). Sweating and ptosis were consistently observed by the attending clinician in over half of the affected horses. Enophthalmos and prolapse of the third eyelid were not reported consistently. The average duration of the clinical signs was 4.94 months and ranged from 14 days to 15 months. Eight of the ten horses developed associated complications, some of which affected performance. Airway obstruction and impedance of passage of a fiberoptic endoscope due to nasal mucosal e...
Mohan K, Muvavarirwa P, Pawandiwa A.Among the Actinobacillus spp. only A. lignieresii represents a homogenous and well studied taxon. However, haemolytic and non-haemolytic strains of A. equuli and A. suis are also isolated from a wide range of diseases in a variety of hosts. These isolates often pose problems in definitive identification. Consequently, several studies have been published, emphasizing the need for detailed studies to reclassify various members of this genus and also to assess their disease significance. We isolated 48 strains of Actinobacillus from clinical cases in horses, cattle, sheep, cat, pigs and ostrich. ...
Pinzón-Osorio CA, Meneses-Martínez H, Botero-Espinosa L, Herrera-Luna CV.A 10 year-old endurance Arabian mare was presented with an invasive, firm, multilobulated mass at the left ventral face of the tongue. The mare had a history of four months of ptyalism, dysphagia, severe halitosis, and dysmastication. The Evaluation of the horse included physical and oral examination, complete blood count and serum biochemistry profile, computed tomography evaluation of the head, and histopathology of the mass. The computerized tomography (CT) head scan showed the homogeneous mass in the oral cavity confirming the degree of invasion on the tongue, as well as a small mineral fo...
Dunkel B, Shokek AB, Wilkins PA.A neonatal foal with signs of rectal bleeding was diagnosed with an intraluminal rectal mass and intussusception on surgical exploration of the abdomen. Histologically, the mass consisted of cystic spaces lined by simple columnar epithelium with numerous goblet cells and was surrounded by thin bands of smooth muscle in a myxomatous stroma. Although the mass shared similarities with retrorectal cystic hamartoma (tailgut cyst) and juvenile polyps, described in human medicine, location and histologic findings were not entirely consistent with either condition.
Richardson DW, Dodge GR.To clone the entire coding sequence of equine matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3, stromelysin) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) and compare their nucleotide and amino acid sequences with those of MMP-3 and TIMP-1 from other species. Methods: Articular cartilage harvested from the joints of 4 foals, 2 yearlings, and 3 adult horses. Methods: A cDNA library was constructed from mRNA extracted from equine chondrocytes. The library was screened and clones selected that contained the cDNA for MMP-3 and TIMP-1. The cDNA was sequenced and the nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequen...
Waelchli RO, Känzig M, Gygax A, Corboz L, Rüsch P.A total of 368 uterine swabs were taken from mares in heat (n = 202) and from mares that were not in heat (n = 166). From 72 of the mares, two swabs were taken; one during either seasonal anoestrus or dioestrus, and one during oestrus. Swabs were taken during anoestrus/dioestrus in 94 other mares and during oestrus in the remaining 130 mares. Bacteriological cultures were done aerobically and classified as negative, insignificant or significant. There was a trend for more positive cytological specimens during oestrus than during anoestrus/dioestrus. The proportions of significant cultures were...
Fox-Clipsham LY, Brown EE, Carter SD, Swinburne JE.The Fell and Dales are UK pony breeds that have small populations and may be at risk from in-breeding and inherited diseases. Foal immunodeficiency syndrome (FIS) is a lethal inherited disease caused by the recessive mutation of a single gene, which affects both Fell and Dales ponies and potentially other breeds that have interbred with either of these. FIS, previously known as Fell pony syndrome, is characterised by progressive anaemia and severe B lymphocyte deficiency. The identification of the causal mutation for this disease led to the recent development of a DNA-based carrier test. In th...
Harkiss GD, Brown DL, Smith DJ, Nagington J.Circulating immune complexes were isolated from the sera of cardiac allograft recipients by bovine conglutinin/anti-conglutinin co-precipitation, or by gel filtration and protein A-Sepharose affinity chromatography. The antibody moieties within these isolated immune complexes were tested for specificity against heterologous anti-thymocyte globulins by solid phase radioimmunoassay, and bacterial and viral antigens by indirect immunofluorescence. The results showed that in addition to possessing specific anti-equine anti-thymocyte globulin antibodies, immune complexes also contained cross-reacti...
Jungeblut CW.1. A flocculation reaction has been described which occurs between alcoholic extracts of pneumococci and antipneumococcus serum. 2. The reaction appears to be species-specific. It is not strictly type-specific, as slight or moderate cross-reactions occurred between Type I serums and Type II and Type III extracts. 3. The flocculating power of the serum from five horses undergoing immunization with pneumococcus, Type I, did not develop to any extent before the end of the 4th or 5th month. 4. In the case of two of these horses in which it was possible to carry out parallel tests on a larger numbe...
