Pathology in horses involves the study of diseases and abnormalities affecting equine health, encompassing a range of conditions that can impact various systems within the horse's body. This field examines the causes, mechanisms, and effects of diseases, as well as the structural and functional changes they induce in equine tissues and organs. Common pathological conditions in horses include laminitis, colic, equine infectious anemia, and respiratory disorders. Understanding these diseases involves evaluating clinical signs, diagnostic methods, and treatment options. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the etiology, pathogenesis, and clinical implications of pathological conditions in horses.
Leise BS, Watts M, Tanhoff E, Johnson PJ, Black SJ, Belknap JK.STAT1 and STAT3 are important signaling molecules in disorders of systemic inflammation and are likely to be involved in laminitis, as laminar and systemic inflammation have been well documented in experimental models of laminitis. Objective: The STAT1 and STAT3 activation (via phosphorylation of tyrosine and serine moieties) is occurring in the laminar tissue during the developmental and onset of lameness time points in both the black walnut extract (BWE) and carbohydrate overload (CHO) models of laminitis. Methods: Archived laminar tissue from horses. Methods: Experimental studies of induced...
Muranaka M, Yamanaka T, Katayama Y, Niwa H, Oku K, Matsumura T, Oyamada T.To investigate the pathology of equine influenza, necropsy of 7 horses experimentally infected with equine influenza A virus (EIV) subtype H3N8 was conducted on post-infection days (PID) 2, 3, 7, and 14. Histopathologically, rhinitis or tracheitis including epithelial degeneration or necrosis with loss of ciliated epithelia and a reduction in goblet cell numbers, was observed in the respiratory tracts on PIDs 2 and 3. Epithelial hyperplasia or squamous metaplasia and suppurative bronchopneumonia with proliferation of type II pneumocytes were observed on PIDs 7 and 14. Viral antigen was detecte...
Matheis FL, Birkmann K, Ruetten M, Pot SA, Spiess BM.A 10-year-old German Warmblood gelding was referred to the Equine Department of the Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Switzerland, for an iris mass OD, lethargy, intermittent fever, and coughing. Ophthalmic examination revealed a 7 × 9 mm raised, fleshy, whitish to pinkish, vascularized iris mass at the 2 o`clock position OD. Fundic examination showed multifocal round, brown to black, slightly raised lesions with indistinct margins and a surrounding hyperreflective zone OU. Physical examination revealed a temperature of 39.2 °C, sinus tachycardia, preputial and ventral edema, and an e...
Esteller-Vico A, Liu IK, Couto S.Vascular degeneration is present in endometrial vessels of multiparous aged mares. The lesions associated with vascular degeneration consist of enlargement, duplication and splitting of the membrana elastica interna and perivascular deposits of elastin. However, there are no similar data available for deep myometrial vessels and the vascular layer. The objectives of the present study were to characterize the status of vasculature in full-thickness uterine necropsy samples and to correlate these findings to endometrial grade, age, and parity. Elastosis was present in myometrial vessels, as well...
Lee WL, Epstein KL, Sherlock CE, Mueller PO, Eggleston RB.To compare in vitro physical and mechanical characteristics of 1-layer and 2-layer end-to-end jejunoileostomy. Methods: In vitro experimental study. Methods: Adult horses (n = 6). Methods: Harvested equine jejunum and ileum was used to create 1- and 2-layer end-to-end jejunoileostomy specimens. Construction time, bursting pressure, and relative lumen diameter (anastomosis diameter expressed as a percentage of the lumen diameter of adjacent jejunum and ileum) were compared. Construction time and relative lumen diameters were compared using a paired t-test. Bursting pressure for anastomoses and ...
Holowinski ME, Solano M, Maranda L, García-López JM.Adhesions occur in the navicular bursa between the deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) and other structures. Our objectives were to describe the appearance of navicular bursa adhesions on high-field magnetic resonance (MR) images, to compare these findings to findings at navicular bursoscopy, and to determine the prevalence of lesions in the remainder of the podotrochlear apparatus. Sixteen forelimbs from 14 horses that underwent MR imaging and navicular bursoscopy were evaluated. Adhesions were considered type 1 when characterized by a discontinuity in the navicular bursa fluid signal between t...
Sponseller BT, Valberg SJ, Schultz NE, Bedford H, Wong DM, Kersh K, Shelton GD.Seasonal pasture myopathy (SPM) is a highly fatal form of nonexertional rhabdomyolysis that occurs in pastured horses in the United States during autumn or spring. In Europe, a similar condition, atypical myopathy (AM), is common. Recently, a defect of lipid metabolism, multiple acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (MADD), has been identified in horses with AM. Objective: To determine if SPM in the United States is caused by MADD. Methods: Six horses diagnosed with SPM based on history, clinical signs, and serum creatine kinase activity, or postmortem findings. Methods: Retrospective descriptive ...
Durham AC, Pillitteri CA, San Myint M, Valli VE.Lymphoma is the most common malignant neoplasm in the horse. Single case reports and small retrospective studies of equine lymphomas are reported infrequently in the literature. A wide range of clinical presentations, tumor subtypes, and outcomes have been described, and the diversity of the results demonstrates the need to better define lymphomas in horses. As part of an initiative of the Veterinary Cooperative Oncology Group, 203 cases of equine lymphoma have been gathered from 8 institutions. Hematoxylin and eosin slides from each case were reviewed and 187 cases were immunophenotyped and c...
Méndez-Angulo JL, Swaab ME, Malone E, Olson EJ, Chalkley MD, Aird B, Ward C.A 12-year-old Quarter horse gelding was presented for evaluation of severe right forelimb lameness, 2 draining tracts over the lateral aspect of the right proximal antebrachium, and weight loss. A presumptive diagnosis of blastomycotic osteomyelitis was established based on radiographs and cytology of the exudate. This diagnosis was confirmed at necropsy. Un hongre Quarter horse âgé de 12 ans a été présenté avec une boiterie grave du membre antérieur droit, 2 faisceaux de drainage sur l’aspect latéral de l’avant-bras droit proximal et une perte de poids. Un diagnostic par infér...
Levi O, Affolter VK, Benak J, Kass PH, Le Jeune SS.To (1) determine if histologic scores of pelvic flexure biopsies can predict short-term survival in horses with large colon volvulus (LCV) and (2) identify clinical variables predictive of short-term survival. Methods: Case series. Methods: Horses (n = 28) with LCV (≥ 360°). Methods: Medical records (January 2000-February 2008) of 28 horses were reviewed and clinical data recorded. Pelvic flexure biopsies were reviewed by 2 board-certified veterinary pathologists, unaware of clinical history and outcome, using 2 scoring systems. Exact logistic regression analysis was used to determine the r...
Spriet M, Murphy B, Vallance SA, Vidal MA, Whitcomb MB, Wisner ER.Magic angle magnetic resonance (MR) imaging consists of imaging tendons at 55° to the magnetic field. In people, magic angle MR imaging is valuable for detection of chronic tendon lesions and allows calculation of tendon T1 values. Increased T1 values occur in people with chronic tendinopathy. The T1 values of normal equine tendons have been reported but there are no available data for abnormal equine tendons. Twelve limbs were studied. Two limbs had diode laser tendon lesions induced postmortem, four limbs had diode laser tendon lesions induced in vivo and six limbs had naturally occurring t...
Mitchell CW, Nykamp SG, Foster R, Cruz R, Montieth G.To determine the accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging for diagnosing cervical stenotic myelopathy in horses, 39 horses with spinal ataxia and 20 control horses underwent clinical and neurologic examinations, cervical radiographs, euthanasia, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the cervical spine and necropsy. Twenty-four horses were diagnosed with cervical stenotic myelopathy, 5 with cervical vertebral stenosis, 7 with idiopathic ataxia, 3 horses had other causes of ataxia, and 20 were controls. The MR images were assessed for spinal cord intensity changes, presence of spinal cord compression...
Onishi JC, Park JW, Prado J, Eades SC, Mirza MH, Fugaro MN, Häggblom MM, Reinemeyer CR.Carbohydrate overload models of equine acute laminitis are used to study the development of lameness. It is hypothesized that a diet-induced shift in cecal bacterial communities contributes to the development of the pro-inflammatory state that progresses to laminar failure. It is proposed that vasoactive amines, protease activators and endotoxin, all bacterial derived bioactive metabolites, play a role in disease development. Questions regarding the oral bioavailability of many of the bacterial derived bioactive metabolites remain. This study evaluates the possibility that a carbohydrate-induc...
Schnoke AT, Brooks DE, Wilkie DA, Dwyer AE, Matthews AG, Gilger BC, Hendrix DV, Pickett P, Grauwels M, Monroe C, Plummer CE.To describe the clinical findings and prognosis for extraocular lymphoma in the horse. Methods: Retrospective medical records study of horses diagnosed with third eyelid, corneoscleral, conjunctival, and/or eyelid lymphoma from multiple academic and private veterinary institutions. Data collected from the medical records included signalment, clinical descriptions of the extraocular lesions, treatment, and treatment outcomes. Nonparametric statistical analysis was performed with Fischer's exact tests. Results: Extraocular lymphoma involving the eyelid, third eyelid, cornea, sclera, and/...
Pennick KE, McKnight CA, Patterson JS, Latimer KS, Maes RK, Wise AG, Kiupel M.Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in situ hybridization (ISH) can be used either to detect or to differentiate between Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) and West Nile virus (WNV) within formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) brain tissue of horses. To compare the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of ISH and IHC, FFPE brain tissue from 20 EEEV-positive horses and 16 WNV-positive horses were tested with both EEEV and WNV oligoprobes and EEEV- and WNV-specific antibodies. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for detection of EEEV and WNV was used as the gold standar...
Gordon AN, Marbach CR, Oakey J, Edmunds G, Condon K, Diviney SM, Williams DT, Bingham J.A 5-year-old Australian stock horse in Monto, Queensland, Australia, developed neurological signs and was euthanized after a 6-day course of illness. Histological examination of the brain and spinal cord revealed moderate to severe subacute, nonsuppurative encephalomyelitis. Sections of spinal cord stained positively in immunohistochemistry with a flavivirus-specific monoclonal antibody. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay targeting the envelope gene of flavivirus yielded positive results from brain, spinal cord, cerebrospinal fluid, and facial nerve. A flavivirus was isolate...
Dakin SG, Werling D, Hibbert A, Abayasekara DR, Young NJ, Smith RK, Dudhia J.Macrophages (Mφ) orchestrate inflammatory and reparatory processes in injured connective tissues but their role during different phases of tendon healing is not known. We investigated the contribution of different Mφ subsets in an equine model of naturally occurring tendon injury. Post mortem tissues were harvested from normal (uninjured), sub-acute (3-6 weeks post injury) and chronically injured (>3 months post injury) superficial digital flexor tendons. To determine if inflammation was present in injured tendons, Mφ sub-populations were quantified based on surface antigen expression of...
Erol E, Sells SF, Williams NM, Kennedy L, Locke SJ, Labeda DP, Donahue JM, Carter CN.Nocardioform placentitis associated with gram positive branching actinomycetes caused a record number of abortions in mares diagnosed by the University of Kentucky Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (UKVDL) affecting the 2011 foal crop (2011 foal crop: the cohort of foals conceived during the 2010 breeding season). The goal of the present study is to make a comprehensive analysis of this outbreak in terms of frequencies of the bacteria causing nocardioform placentitis mediated abortions and to investigate the ages of fetuses, abortion months and breeding times. In the present study, characterist...
Chiers K, Deschaght P, De Baere T, Dabrowski S, Kotlowski R, De Clercq D, Ducatelle R, Vaneechoutte M.Routine cultivation methods are able to distinguish between isolates of the Mycobacterium avium and the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. However, molecular tools are needed to further identify the several subspecies in the M. avium complex, especially for the subspecies avium and silvaticum. A rapid technique using HhaI restriction digestion of a 349 bp amplification product of the 85B antigen (α-antigen) gene was used for the identification of M. avium subsp. silvaticum in a three-year-old gelding presenting with caseous, necrotizing, granulomatous lesions. The result was confirmed by seq...
Lacourt M, Gao C, Li A, Girard C, Beauchamp G, Henderson JE, Laverty S.To correlate degenerative changes in cartilage and subchondral bone in the third carpal bone (C3) of Standardbred racehorses with naturally occurring repetitive trauma-induced osteoarthritis. Methods: Fifteen C3, collected from Standardbred horses postmortem, were assessed for cartilage lesions by visual inspection and divided into Control (CO), Early Osteoarthritis (EOA) and Advanced Osteoarthritis (AOA) groups. Two osteochondral cores were harvested from corresponding dorsal sites on each bone and scanned with a micro-computed tomography (CT) instrument. 2D images were assembled into 3D reco...
Sykora S, Samek L, Schönthaler K, Palm F, Borzacchiello G, Aurich C, Brandt S.Squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) are malignant tumours arising from keratinocytes. In horses, there is increasing evidence for Equus caballus papillomavirus type 2 (EcPV-2) being causally involved in SCC development. However, only little is known regarding intralesional transcription of the virus, and sparse information on the incidence of EcPV-2 infection in healthy equids is available so far. Using RT-PCR, total mRNA from 8 EcPV-2 DNA-positive and 1 EcPV-2 negative SCC/SCC precursor lesions was screened for the presence of EcPV-2 E6 and E1 transcripts. Using PCR, we tested 193 sample specimens...
Perkins GA, den Bakker HC, Burton AJ, Erb HN, McDonough SP, McDonough PL, Parker J, Rosenthal RL, Wiedmann M, Dowd SE, Simpson KW.Little is known about the gastric mucosal microbiota in healthy horses, and its role in gastric disease has not been critically examined. The present study used a combination of 16S rRNA bacterial tag-encoded pyrosequencing (bTEFAP) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to characterize the composition and spatial distribution of selected gastric mucosal microbiota of healthy horses. Biopsy specimens of the squamous, glandular, antral, and any ulcerated mucosa were obtained from 6 healthy horses by gastroscopy and from 3 horses immediately postmortem. Pyrosequencing was performed on bio...
Kondo H, Wickins SC, Conway JA, Mallicote MF, Sanchez LC, Agnew DW, Farina LL, Abbott JR.A 23-year-old Anglo-Arabian mare was presented with tachypnea, dyspnea, and pitting edema of the ventral thoracic subcutis. On necropsy, a tan to red, friable, irregularly shaped mass (23 × 20 × 18 cm) occupied the cranial mediastinum. Histologically, the mass was classified as a liposarcoma and was composed of short interlacing bundles of spindle-shaped to irregularly rounded cells with discrete, variably sized, clear cytoplasmic vacuoles, which were stained with oil red O in frozen sections of formalin-fixed tissue.
Machado TS, Correia da Silva LC, Baccarin RY, Michelacci YM.Alternative methods to evaluate the joint condition in asymptomatic osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD) and other joint diseases may be useful. Objective: To investigate possible changes in synovial fluid composition that may lead to joint conditions in asymptomatic OCD, in mature horses. Methods: Animals aged >2 years, of different breeds, with OCD in the intermediate ridge of distal tibia, symptomatic or not, were studied. Synovial fluid samples (10 healthy; 11 asymptomatic OCD; 25 symptomatic OCD) were collected by arthroscopy from 29 horses. Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) were analysed by a comb...
Hertsch B, Teschner D.Objective of the study was to investigate whether a correlation between rotation and/or sinking of the third phalanx (P3) and changes of horn growth on the hoof wall exists. Methods: In 117 hooves of euthanatized or slaughtered horses with chronic laminitis the rotating angle to palmar/plantar and medial/lateral and a sinking of P3 were assessed on radiographs. Defined distances were measured on the dorsal hoof wall as well as in the heel to assess the horn growth of a hoof. On the basis of saw cuts of the hooves, the course of the horn tubes was judged. Results: A rotation angle of approximat...
Michelotto PV, Muehlmann LA, Zanatta AL, Bieberbach EWR, Kryczyk M, Fernandes LC, Nishiyama A.This study investigated the putative roles of inflammation and platelet-activating factor (PAF) in exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH). Two-year-old Thoroughbred colts (n=37) were exercised on a racetrack for 5months before commencement of the study. Each colt was then exercised at 15-16m/s over 800-1000m and broncho-alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was collected 24h later. The colts were subsequently divided into two groups on the basis of BALF analysis; an EIPH-positive group (presence of haemosiderophages, n=23) and an EIPH-negative group (absence of haemosiderophages, n=14). BALF fro...
Valentine BA.Gross and histopathologic evaluation of skeletal muscle was performed in 229 equids (217 horses, 8 ponies, 3 donkeys, and 1 mule) 1 year of age or older undergoing postmortem examination at Oregon State University in a 2.5-year period. Animals were evaluated for grossly evident muscle lesions, and muscle samples were fixed in formalin, processed routinely, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) for glycogen. Muscle lesions were detected in 149 animals (65%). Chronic myopathic change (excessive fiber size variation and internal nuclei) was evaluated in horses...
Yovich JV, Gould DH, LeCouteur RA.The distribution and morphology of fibrous astrocytes in the cervical spinal cord of normal horses and horses with chronic compressive myelopathy were demonstrated using immunohistochemical staining for glial fibrillary acidic protein. In the spinal cord from normal horses, astrocytes with stellate cell bodies and short processes were irregularly distributed in grey matter. In the white matter, their cell bodies were small and angular in areas adjacent to grey matter and larger and more stellate-shaped in the subpial area. Astrocyte processes were fine, and evenly distributed in a predominantl...
Shotton HR, Lincoln J, McGorum BC.Acute equine grass sickness (EGS) is a fatal disease of horses that is thought to be due to ingestion of a neurotoxic agent causing extensive damage to autonomic neurons. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of EGS on neurons in two sympathetic ganglia, the paravertebral cranial cervical ganglion (CCG) and the prevertebral coeliac/cranial mesenteric ganglion (CG/CMG). Specimens from horses with EGS and controls were obtained post mortem and processed using single and double immunofluorescence labelling for PGP 9.5 and HuC/HuD (pan-neuronal markers), TUNEL and caspase 3 (markers for...
Auth AK, Hinnigan GJ, Smith MA, Owen KR.Low-field, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an advanced imaging modality widely used to diagnose distal limb pathology in horses, but there are limited data regarding lesion distribution within the metacarpo/metatarsophalangeal joint (MCP/MTPJ) region in lame nonracehorses. The aim of this study was to describe the low-field MRI findings and lesion distribution in nonracehorses with MCP/MTPJ region pain. Clinical records from horses undergoing MRI of the MCP/MTPJ region between July 2016 and March 2023 were reviewed. Horses were included if pain causing lameness was localized to this region...
Wong ASM, Morrice-West AV, Hitchens PL, Whitton RC.Catastrophic musculoskeletal injuries (CMI) in horses are associated with both too little and too much high-speed exercise. In order to advise trainers on training and management strategies that minimize the risk of musculoskeletal injury (MSI), a better understanding of how training practices affect MSI in racehorses is needed. Data from prospective studies relating training data and MSI are complicated by the gradual development of pathology and the effect of this on the ability of horses to train consistently prior to the identification of an injury. To circumvent this, 66 Australian Thorou...
Spoormakers TJP, Veraa S, Graat EAM, van Weeren PR, Brommer H.Data on equine lumbar pathology hardly exist in breeds other than Thoroughbreds. Objective: To describe pathological changes of the osseous lumbar vertebral column in Warmblood horses, Shetland ponies and Konik horses. Methods: Descriptive post-mortem study. Methods: The lumbar vertebral columns of 34 Warmblood horses, 28 Shetland ponies, and 18 Konik horses were examined by computed tomography (CT). Osteoarthritis (OA) of articular processes (APJs), OA of intertransverse joints (ITJs), intervertebral disc (IVD) mineralisation, impingement of spinous (SPs) and transverse (TPs) processes and sp...
Baudisch N, Schneidewind L, Becke S, Keller M, Overhoff M, Tettke D, Gruben V, Eichler F, Meyer HJ, Lischer C, Ehrle A.To better understand physiological and pathological movement patterns in the equine thoracolumbar spine, investigation of the biomechanics on a segmental level requires a constant moment. A constant moment along the spinal column means that the same torque acts on each vertebral segment, allowing the range of motion of different segments to be compared. The aims of this study were to investigate the range of motion of the equine thoracolumbar spine in horses with and without spinal pathology and to examine whether the pressure between the spinous processes depends on the direction of the appli...
Ribeiro G, Carvalho L, Borges J, Prazeres J.Equine skin wound treatment continues to be a challenge for veterinarians. Despite being a frequent practice, it remains difficult to choose an evidence-based treatment protocol. This study aimed to comprehensively explore the literature and provide a scoping review of therapeutic strategies for equine skin wounds and identify knowledge gaps and opportunities for future research. This review was conducted using specific criteria to select literature that described methods to manage second intention wound healing. After removing duplicates and screening papers for suitability, 81 manuscripts we...
Usimaki A, Ciamillo SA, Barot D, Linardi RL, Engiles JB, Ortved KF.Autologous protein solution (APS) has been shown to decrease lameness in horses with osteoarthritis (OA). Synovitis is an early driver of OA, providing an opportunity to intervene in the progression of disease via intra-articular (IA) therapeutics. Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of a single IA APS injection in horses with interleukin-1β (IL-1β)-induced synovitis. We hypothesised that APS would decrease joint swelling and lameness, improve synovial fluid parameters and improve joint pathology scores in horses compared with untreated controls. Methods: Ra...
Portaels J, Van Crombrugge E, Van Den Broeck W, Lagrou K, Laval K, Nauwynck H.Numerous Aspergillus fumigatus (Af) airborne spores are inhaled daily by humans and animals due to their ubiquitous presence. The interaction between the spores and the respiratory epithelium, as well as its impact on the epithelial barrier function, remains largely unknown. The epithelial barrier protects the respiratory epithelium against viral infections. However, it can be compromised by environmental contaminants such as pollen, thereby increasing susceptibility to respiratory viral infections, including alphaherpesvirus equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1). To determine whether Af spores di...
Wang Z, Zeng S, Wang Y, Wang T, Qu H, Zhu Y, Li J.Reproductive disorders in donkeys present a significant challenge to their health and welfare, impacting their roles in agriculture, conservation, and companionship. With the development of large-scale donkey farming in recent years, reproductive disorders have become a limiting factor for the expansion of the donkey population. In general, donkeys suffer from a similar array of diseases like horses, but little is known about the specificities of donkey reproductive disorders. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the pathogenesis, distribution, presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and p...
Altay K, Erol U, Sahin OF, Ulucesme MC, Aytmirzakizi A, Aktas M.Tick-borne pathogens (TBP) are an important group of organisms that can affect animals and humans all over the world. Equine piroplasmosis (EP), caused by and , is considered one of the most important tick-borne diseases and can cause significant clinical symptoms and mortality in horses. Moreover, EP plays a restrictive role in international horse traditions and transportation. Although these species can cause similar symptoms, there are different 18S rRNA genotypes of (five genotypes) and (three genotypes). Besides piroplasma species, and hemotropic mycoplasmas (HM) are known as other im...
Blackmore DJ, Palmer A.Examination of tissues obtained from thoroughbred horses showed that the 'intestinal' phosphatase activity could be differentiated from other phosphatases by analysis at a pH of 9-5 and inhibition with 15 mM L-phenylalanine. A simple method for the measurement of 'intestinal' phosphatase in heparinised plasma or serum is described. Application of the technique to serum or plasma from normal and diseased horses indicates that the increase in the activity of 'intestinal' phosphatase is associated with cases showing clinical, biochemical and haematological evidence of intestinal damage.
Snyder JR, Pascoe JR, Olander HJ, Harmon FA, Hinds DM, Vatistasa NJ, Tyler WS.The ultrastructural injury that develops sequentially in the ascending colon during experimentally induced ischemia was examined in 6 halothane-anesthetized horses. Colonic ischemia was created by 2 types of vascular occlusion 24 cm proximal and distal to the pelvic flexure. In all horses, transmural vascular compression was created. The colonic venous circulation was obstructed in 3 horses, whereas in the other 3 horses, arterial and venous circulation was obstructed. Two additional horses were anesthetized as controls for determination of any morphologic alterations associated with the exper...
Madigan JE.This article reviews epizootiology, public health considerations, antibody testing, and molecular biology of Lyme borreliosis. Correlation of clinical signs with titer response is discussed.
Kramer J, Coates JR, Hoffman AG, Frappier BL.To describe surgical approaches to the equine cranium and brain for limited craniectomy. Methods: Descriptive anatomic study. Methods: Equine cadavers (n=7). Methods: Head and neck sections from cadavers were used to establish techniques for exposing areas of the equine brain. Three basic approaches were used: rostrotentorial, suboccipital, and transfrontal. Techniques were adapted from small animal descriptions and modified to account for anatomic differences. Results: Descriptions of the rostrotentorial, suboccipital, and transfrontal approaches to the equine cranium and brain were defined. ...
Yovich JV, Powers BE, Stashak TS.The intervertebral disks and adjacent vertebral bodies of the 2nd to 7th cervical vertebrae from 17 horses (3 months to 19 years of age) were examined grossly and by light microscopy. In each specimen, the disk tissue was fibrocartilagenous centrally and became more fibrous peripherally, but without a distinct demarcation between the nucleus pulposus and anulus fibrosus. Demarcation between the anulus fibrosus and the dorsal longitudinal ligament was not apparent. With increasing age of the horses, cellularity of the central fibrocartilagenous portion of the disk decreased. The caudal end plat...
Bermúdez VM, Miller RB, Rosendal S, Fernando MA, Johnson WH, O'Brien PJ.The cytopathic effects induced by five strains of Mycoplasma equigenitalium for cells of equine uterine tube explants were tested by measuring changes in cellular and extracellular concentrations of calmodulin (CaM). Calmodulin concentrations in samples of total homogenate (TH) and total homogenate supernates (THS) of the infected equine uterine tube explants were significantly lower than respective measurements on noninfected controls. In tissue culture medium fractions (TCM) of some infected explants, CaM concentrations were significantly higher than noninfected controls (p > 0.95). The r...
Nation PN.Trifolium hybridum (alsike clover) has been implicated as the cause of two diseases of the horse. One of these is photosensitivity, of which alsike clover is only one of a number of presumed causal agents. The other is a fatal syndrome which is known as "alsike clover poisoning" and which is manifest by progressive loss of condition, signs of hepatic failure, and varying degrees of neurological impairment. The underlying lesion of alsike clover poisoning is fibrosis and proliferation of the biliary tree. The experimental evidence implicating alsike clover as the cause of this syndrome comes en...
Sullins KE, Stashak TS, Mero KN.Arteriovenous (ischemic strangulation obstruction, ISO) or venous (hemorrhagic strangulation obstruction, HSO) occlusions were created in the jejunum of 5 anesthetized horses and were left in situ for 1-, 2-, or 3-hour intervals. Segments were evaluated grossly for color, thickness, and motility. The horses were euthanatized, and the degree of mucosal slough, edema, congestion, and hemorrhage was determined histologically. Segments subjected to ISO became dark, but did not contain edema or hemorrhage. Segments subjected to HSO were characterized by progressive congestion, edema, and hemorrhage...
Freestone JF, Hietala S, Moulton J, Vivrette S.A 7-year-old horse with no previous history of illness was determined to have a systemic infection of Rhodococcus equi. Rhodococcus equi was isolated from blood, tracheal fluid, and feces. Lymphopenia, failure to respond to concanavalin A and phytohemagglutinin lymphocyte stimulation testing, decreased concentrations of immunoglobulin (Ig)M, IgA, and IgG, low R equi antibody titer, histologic depletion of lymphoid tissue, and a failure to respond to antigenic stimulation led to the conclusion that both humoral and cell-mediated immunity were compromised. No cause for the acquired immunodeficie...