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Topic:Equine Diseases
Equine diseases encompass a wide range of health conditions that can affect horses, including infectious diseases, metabolic disorders, and genetic conditions. These diseases can impact the overall health, performance, and well-being of horses. Common equine diseases include equine influenza, equine herpesvirus, laminitis, and equine metabolic syndrome. Diagnosis and management of these diseases often require a combination of clinical evaluation, laboratory testing, and appropriate treatment strategies. This page gathers peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the etiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment options for various equine diseases, providing valuable insights for veterinarians and researchers in the field.
Infection control and biosecurity in equine disease control. Infectious diseases are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in horses, along with economic costs and broader impacts associated with the loss of members of a species that generates income, acts as a working animal and is a companion. Endemic diseases continue to challenge, emerging diseases are an ever-present threat and outbreaks can be both destructive and disruptive. While infectious diseases can never be completely prevented, measures can be introduced to restrict the entry of pathogens into a population or limit the implications of the presence of a pathogen. Objective research ...
Use of digital abdominal radiography for the diagnosis of enterolithiasis in equids: 238 cases (2008-2011). To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of direct digital abdominal radiography for the diagnosis of enterolithiasis in equids and to assess the effect of the number and anatomic location of enteroliths and gas distention of the gastrointestinal tract on diagnostic sensitivity of the technique. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: 238 horses and ponies ≥ 1 year old that underwent digital abdominal radiography with subsequent exploratory celiotomy or postmortem examination. Methods: For each case, 3 reviewers independently evaluated radiographic views. Radiographic images were eva...
Heritability of epistaxis in the Australian Thoroughbred racehorse population. Post exercise epistaxis, the manifestation of a severe form of exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH), has been observed in many equine racing populations. Although multiple analyses have suggested that non-genetic factors may lead to the development of this condition, relatively little consensus has been reached regarding its genetic aetiology. The objective of this study was to provide insight into both genetic and non-genetic factors that may contribute to the expression of epistaxis in the Australian Thoroughbred racing population. Racing records and reported epistaxis occurrences w...
Comparison of two methods for measurement of equine insulin. Diagnosis of equine hyperinsulinemia requires an accurate method for quantification of equine insulin concentrations. The objectives of the current study were to compare 2 commercially available techniques for measurement of equine insulin, the radioimmunoassay (RIA) and chemiluminescent immunoassay (CIA). Recovery was poor for both assays, but worse for the CIA. Serial dilution of a high endogenous insulin sample yielded better linearity for the RIA ( r = 0.99, P < 0.001) than the CIA ( r = 0.92, P = 0.009). Bland-Altman analysis indicated that the CIA was, on average, 91 pmol/l higher tha...
A new ELISA for the quantification of equine procalcitonin in plasma as potential inflammation biomarker in horses. In human medicine, procalcitonin (PCT) is a very common and well-established biomarker for sepsis. Even though sepsis is also a leading cause of death in foals and adult horses, up to now, no data about the role of equine PCT in septic horses has been available. Based on monoclonal antibodies targeted against human PCT, we report here the development of a sandwich ELISA for the quantification of equine PCT in equine plasma samples. The ELISA was characterized for intra- and interassay variance and a working range from 25 to 1,000 ng mL(-1) was defined as within this range; both intra- and in...
Equine trypanosomosis in central and western Punjab: prevalence, haemato-biochemical response and associated risk factors. The detection of Trypanosoma evansi in blood is intricate, primarily in chronic stage of infection, as the parasitaemia is often low and fluctuating. The climatic conditions of the target area of Punjab (a province of India with a total of 34,000 horses and ponies used for sports and transport) are conducive for the parasite propagation. The objective of present investigation was to assess the prevalence of T. evansi in central and western Punjab by PCR and card agglutination test (CATT/T. evansi) in relation to clinico-haematobiochemical alterations and risk factors associated with latent try...
Re-evaluation of the sepsis score in equine neonates. The modified sepsis scoring system provides a method to identify sepsis in foals early in the disease process, but inconsistent results have been obtained from its clinical application in previous studies. Objective: To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the modified sepsis score in a larger population of foals. A secondary objective was to identify factors associated with sepsis. Methods: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: Records were retrospectively analysed for neonatal admissions to the University of Florida Large Animal Hospital from 1982 to 2008. Backwards stepwise multivaria...
Equine autologous platelet concentrates: A comparative study between different available systems. Autologous platelet concentrates (APCs) are being used increasingly in horses to enhance regeneration in tissues that have poor natural healing capabilities. Numerous APC systems, which are based on different preparation techniques and were originally developed for human patients, are now routinely used in equine cases. However, preliminary process validation and adequate in vitro biochemical characterisation of most of these systems do not exist for horses. Objective: To compare haematological findings and growth factor concentrations of equine APCs obtained with 4 commercially available syst...
Infection control in equine critical care settings. There is a recognizable standard of practice for infection control in veterinary medicine. Effort must be given to control and prevention of infectious disease transmission within a facility and among animal populations. In the critical care setting, patients typically have a high degree of systemic illness and immune compromise, are commonly subjected to invasive procedures and placement of indwelling devices, and frequently receive antimicrobials and gastric protectants. Every equine critical care unit is distinctive in its physical and operational features and the types of patients that are...
Ultrasound of the equine acute abdomen. Abdominal ultrasound is an invaluable aid in the evaluation of the colic patient but can be heavily influenced by patient preparation, individual horse-to-horse variation, availability of ultrasound transducers, technique, experience level of the examiner, and complexity of the abdominal disorder. This article describes ultrasonographic anatomy of the normal equine abdomen and technique for examination of the equine colic patient. Common abnormalities of the stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and peritoneal cavity are described along with other abnormalities that may be discovered with...
Blood lactate measurement and interpretation in critically ill equine adults and neonates. Admission blood lactate concentration is widely used as a prognostic indicator in equine medicine and can be a useful indicator of disease severity but typically fails to completely discriminate survivors from nonsurvivors. Increased admission lactate concentrations in adult horses typically return to normal within 12 to 24 hours. Lactate concentrations in neonatal foals are higher than adult concentrations for the first 24 to 72 hours of life. Serial measures reflecting both the magnitude and duration of hyperlactatemia might enable more accurate prognostication and provide insight into dis...
Serum cortisol concentrations in horses with colic. Few studies have evaluated cortisol concentrations in horses with colic. In humans with septic shock, high cortisol levels are associated with an increased risk of death. The objectives of this study were to compare the serum total cortisol concentrations (STCCs) in horses with colic to those without colic, and to assess whether the STCC relates to the pathological nature or outcome of the disease. STCCs were determined at presentation in horses with colic and in systemically healthy 'control' horses. Horses with colic were grouped based on clinical and clinico-pathological parameters at admis...
Isolation of Moraxella bovoculi from racehorses with keratoconjunctivitis. Moraxella bovoculi was isolated and identified in ocular fluid samples collected from 9 racehorses with infectious keratoconjunctivitis in China in 2013. All 9 M. bovoculi isolates were hemolytic, Gram-negative diplococci that were phenylalanine deaminase positive. The sequence of the 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) gene of the isolates matched the 16S rDNA sequence of M. bovoculi. Amplification of the 16S-23S intergenic spacer region followed by AfaI digestion produced a 600-base pair product, a result characteristic of M. bovoculi isolates. The phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rDNA sequence c...
Production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies against horse immunoglobulins useful for the diagnosis of equine diseases. Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against horse IgG were produced by immunizing Balb/c mice with purified horse IgG and were characterized in indirect ELISA versus purified immunoglobulins from donkey, cow, buffalo, sheep, pig, and chicken. Three MAbs (1B10B6C9, 1B10B6C10, 1B10B6E9) reacted only with horse and donkey IgG and IgM and, in western blotting, were specific for the Fc fragment of equine IgG. MAb 1B10B6E9 was used in chemiluminescent immunoblotting assay for the diagnosis of dourine and in indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) for the diagnosis of African horse sickness and dourine.
Equine influenza culture methods. Equine influenza viruses are cultured in embryonated hen eggs, or in mammalian cells, generally Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells, using methods much the same as for other influenza A viruses. Mutations associated with host adaptation occur in both eggs and MDCK cells, but the latter show greater heterogeneity and eggs are the generally preferred host. Both equine-1 H7N7 and equine-2 H3N8 viruses replicate efficiently in 11-day-old eggs, but we find that equine-1 viruses kill the embryos whereas equine-2 viruses do not.
Type A influenza virus detection from horses by real-time RT-PCR and insulated isothermal RT-PCR. Equine influenza (EI) is a highly contagious disease of horses caused by the equine influenza virus (EIV) H3N8 subtype. EI is the most important respiratory virus infection of horses and can disrupt major equestrian events and cause significant economic losses to the equine industry worldwide. Influenza H3N8 virus spreads rapidly in susceptible horses and can result in very high morbidity within 24-48 h after exposure to the virus. Therefore, rapid and accurate diagnosis of EI is critical for implementation of prevention and control measures to avoid the spread of EIV and to reduce the economi...
A brief introduction to equine influenza and equine influenza viruses. Equine influenza virus (EIV) is a common respiratory pathogen of horses and other equids in most parts of the world. EIV are Type A influenza viruses and two subtypes are known: H3N8 and H7N7. Both are believed to have evolved from avian influenza virus ancestors. The H3N8 subtype circulates widely, but the H7N7 subtype is thought to be extinct. The clinical disease in horses, caused by either subtype, is an upper respiratory infection of varying severity depending upon the immune status of the individual animal. It is not normally life-threatening in itself except in very young foals; however...
Equine influenza serological methods. Serologic tests for equine influenza virus (EIV) antibodies are used for many purposes, including retrospective diagnosis, subtyping of virus isolates, antigenic comparison of different virus strains, and measurement of immune responses to EIV vaccines. The hemagglutination-inhibition (HI), single radial hemolysis (SRH), and serum micro-neutralization tests are the most widely used for these purposes and are described here. The presence of inhibitors of hemagglutination in equine serum complicates interpretation of HI assay results, and there are alternative protocols (receptor-destroying enzy...
Brainstem auditory evoked responses in an equine patient population. Part II: foals. Reports of the use of brainstem auditory evoked response (BAER) as a diagnostic modality in foals have been limited. Objective: To describe BAER findings and associated causes of hearing loss in foals. Methods: Study group 18 foals (15 neonatal, 3 nonneonatal), control group (5 neonatal foals). Methods: Retrospective. BAER records from the Clinical Neurophysiology Laboratory were reviewed from the years of 1982 to 2013. Peak latencies, amplitudes, and interpeak intervals were measured when visible. Clinical data were extracted from the medical records. Foals were grouped under disease categori...
Changes in expression pattern of selected endometrial proteins following mesenchymal stem cells infusion in mares with endometrosis. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) due to their self-renewal potential and differentiation capacity are useful for tissue regeneration. Immunomodulatory and trophic properties of MSCs were demonstrated suggesting their use as medicinal signaling cells able to positively change local environment in injured tissue. Equine endometrosis is a progressive degenerative disease responsible for glandular alterations and endometrial fibrosis which causes infertility in mares. More precisely, this disease is characterized by phenotypic changes in the expression pattern of selected endometrial proteins. Curren...
Clinical Sentinel Surveillance of Equine West Nile Fever, Spain. West Nile fever (WNF) is a viral zoonotic infection caused by a mosquito-borne flavivirus of the Flaviviridae family. According to a comparative study, the passive surveillance of horses by equine veterinarians appeared to be the most cost-effective system in the European context of WNF. Clinical data issued from a passive epidemiosurveillance network from September 2010 to December 2011 on horses in Spain were statistically compared and used to develop a predictive diagnostic decision tree, both with the aim to improve the early clinical detection of WNF in horses. Although clinical signs wer...
Is it the systemic inflammatory response syndrome or endotoxemia in horses with colic? Some veterinarians describe particularly sick horses or neonatal foals as being endotoxemic, whereas others refer to the same animals as having the systemic inflammatory response syndrome. This article reviews the basis for the use of each of these terms in equine practice, and highlights the mechanisms underlying the response of the horse's innate immune system to key structural components of the microorganisms that initiate these conditions, including how some of those responses differ from other species. Current approaches used to treat horses with these conditions are summarized, and cauti...
Trauma and wound management: gunshot wounds in horses. Bullet wounds in horses can cause a wide array of injuries, determined by the type of projectile, the energy of the bullet on entry, and the type of tissue the bullet encounters. Treatment includes identification of all structures involved, debridement of the permanent cavity, and establishing adequate drainage. Bullet wounds should be treated as contaminated, and broad-spectrum antibiotics, including those with an anaerobic spectrum, are indicated. Although musculoskeletal injuries resulting from gunshots are most common in horses, they carry a good prognosis for survival and return to functi...
Chronic pleuropulmonary fibrosis and elastosis of aged donkeys: similarities to human pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis. Donkey pulmonary fibrosis (DPF) is a spontaneous syndrome of aged donkeys with a high prevalence (35%). No previous detailed characterization of DPF has been performed. We sought to determine the similarities between DPF and recognized patterns of human pulmonary fibrosis. Methods: Whole lungs were collected from 32 aged donkeys at routine necropsy. Gross examination revealed pulmonary fibrosis in 19 donkeys (DPF cases), whereas 13 (control cases) had grossly normal lungs. Eighteen whole inflated ex vivo lungs (11 DPF cases, seven control cases) were imaged with high-resolution CT (HRCT) scan,...
The effect of long-term oral L-carnitine administration on insulin sensitivity, glucose disposal, plasma concentrations of leptin and acylcarnitines, and urinary acylcarnitine excretion in warmblood horses. Insulin resistance in horses is an emerging field of interest as it is thought to be a contributing factor in the pathogenesis of many equine conditions. Objective: The objectives of the present study were to determine the effects of long-term oral administration of L-carnitine on insulin sensitivity, glucose disposal, plasma leptin concentrations and acylcarnitine spectrum both in plasma and urine. Methods: Six 3-year-old healthy warmblood geldings were used. In a double blind 2 × 2 Latin square design at a dosage of 100 mg/kg body weight (BW)/day for 28 days the effects of oral supplementat...
Metabolic syndrome: is equine disease comparable to what we know in humans? This review summarizes similarities and differences between the metabolic syndromes in humans and equines, concerning the anatomy, symptoms, and pathophysiological mechanisms. In particular, it discusses the structure and distribution of adipose tissue and its specific metabolic pathways. Furthermore, this article provides insights and focuses on issues concerning laminitis in horses and cardiovascular diseases in humans, as well as their overlap.
