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.
Cheevers WP, Roberson SM, Brassfield AL, Davis WC, Crawford TB.A virus with the morphologic and biochemical properties of the family Retroviridae has been isolated from cultured cells explanted from a malignant tumor induced by intradermal inoculation of equine sarcoid cells into a combined immunodeficient Arabian foal. By electron microscopy, intracytoplasmic, extracellular, and budding particles measuring 89 to 120 nm with electron-lucent cores were seen. Virus purified from the medium of cultured cells had a buoyant density of 1.15 g/cm3 in isopycnic sucrose-gradient centrifugation, incorporated radiolabeled uridine but not thymidine, and had constitut...
Allen BV, Frank CJ.MOST viral infections in animals, including man, have been
shown to alter the absolute and relative numbers of circulating
leucocytes. This usually causes a lymphopenia or neutropenia
but, occasionally, a lymphocytosis occurs (Gresser and Lang
1966). Several studies and reviews of respiratory viral
infections in horses have noted changes in the blood pictures
of infected animals, particularly during the early stages of the
disease (Steck and Gerber 1965; Gerber 1966, 1969; Bryans
and Gerber 1972; Hofer, Steck and Gerber 1978). The
transient nature of the leucocyte response is, probabl...
Derksen FJ, Robinson NE, Slocombe RF, Hill RE.In unanesthetized ponies, arterial blood gas tensions, pulmonary mechanics, and lung volumes were determined before and 24 to 48 hours after oral administration of 500 ml of corn oil or 100 mg of 3-methylindole (3MI)/kg of body weight in 500 ml of corn oil. In the latter group, variables were also measured after bilateral cervical vagotomy. Respiratory rate and minute ventilation were increased by 3MI treatment and decreased after vagotomy, suggesting that the tachypnea induced by 3MI was vagally mediated. The arterial O2 tension (PaO2) was unaffected but arterial CO2 tension (PaCO2) decreased...
Adams SB, Fessler JF, Thacker HL.FIBROMAS arise from connective tissue and occur in all domestic animals (Smith, Jones and Hunt 1972; Stannard and Pulley 1978). They are most frequently noted in the dermis or subcutis, but may be present wherever connective tissue occurs. In the dermis and subcutis of the horse fibromas are grossly similar to sarcoids and may be difficult to differentiate (Baker and Leyland 1975). Fibromas have been described as tumours of the tendon sheath or tendon proper in man (Flynn 1975), but have not been described in this location in the horse.
Brownlow MA, Hutchins DR, Johnston KG.Cells in the peritoneal fluid from 159 horses were examined in Giemsa stained preparations using light microscopy. Normal mesothelial cells showed an oval nucleus with finely reticular chromatin and pale blue cytoplasm. Activated mesothelial cells occurred in fluids derived from mesothelium under acute or subacute, non-septic stimulus and were remarkable for their pleomorphism and intense basophilia which may mimic neoplasia. Transformed mesothelial cells seen in chronic inflammatory fluids were sometimes phagocytic and showed conspicuous cytoplasmic vacuolation.
Sprouse R, Garner H, Eyestone W.The occurrence of the Local Shwartzman Reaction (LSR) in equine species has not previously been reported. The molecular mechanism appears identical to that reported for the rabbit and other species. The immunopathologic and histopathologic similarities of the experimentally induced LSR in horses and ponies to that of the hoof-laminae (an extension of the skin) lesion in naturally-occurring and/or carbohydrate induced laminitis may offer insight into the pathogenesis of this complex disease.
Patel JR, Edington N, Mumford JA.Subtype-1 isolates of Equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) from a quadriplegic horse and from an aborted foetus were compared with each other and with a subtype-2 respiratory isolate. All 3 isolates were detected in the epithelium and macrophages of the respiratory tract. Both the paresis and foetal subtype-1 isolates replicated in the epithelium of the ileum and this correlated with the recovery of virus from faeces in vivo. The paresis subtype-1 isolate also had a predelection for vascular endothelial cells, particularly in the nasal mucosa, but also in the lungs, central nervous system, adrenal and...
Greet TR.Radiological features of the oesophagus of 7 normal horses and 13 with oesophageal lesions are described. The use of barium sulphate as a contrast agent and the techniqes of its administration are discussed. It is suggested that chronic intermittent oesophageal impaction with food material was a predisposing factor in the development of a localised oesophageal dilation in 3 horses and that one other probably resulted from an injury. A similar dilatation was seen which resulted from oesophageal constriction by a vascular ring. Megaoesophagus was seen in 2 ponies associated with grass sickness a...
McChesney SL, England JJ, McChesney AE.An agent lethal to embryonated chicken eggs was isolated from lung tissues of a quarter horse mare with a fatal respiratory disease. The lesions induced in embryonated chicken eggs, the tinctoral properties, the ultrastructural morphology, the resistance of the organism to sodium sulfadiazine, and the presence of a chlamydial complement fixing antigen, identify this isolate as a member of the family Chlamydiaceae and suggest the agent to be Chlamydia psittaci. Two Shetland ponies experimentally infected with the isolated agent developed subclinical infection as demonstrated by an increase in c...
Friend SC.Two horses died of massive myonecrosis following surgery. The hematological, biochemical and pathological changes are described and compared with those previously reported in the literature.
Rooney JR.Sacroiliac arthrosis is a major cause of "hiking" lameness (often, so-called "stifle lameness") in Standardbred horses. The cause of this arthrosis is found in the moment forces generated as horses negotiate unbanked and underbanked turns and in the forces generated on cambered racing surfaces. The prediction is that such lameness could be virtually eliminated if racetrack and training track turns were properly banked and camber held to a minimum.
Science (New York, N.Y.)October 30, 1981
Volume 214, Issue 4520 562-564 doi: 10.1126/science.6270790
Studdert MJ, Simpson T, Roizman B.Viruses classified by immunologic criteria as equine herpesvirus 1 cause respiratory disease and abortion in horses. Restriction endonuclease analyses of the DNA's of viruses from animals with respiratory disease and from aborted fetuses show that the patterns for respiratory viruses, while similar to each other, are entirely different from the patterns for fetal viruses. It is therefore proposed that the DNA restriction endonuclease patterns of fetal and respiratory viruses analyzed in this study be designated as prototypic of equine herpesvirus 1 and 4, respectively.
Goulden BE, Anderson LJ.Various physical characteristics of horses affected with laryngeal hemiplegia were studied. Appropriate comparisons were made with the populations from which the affected animals were obtained. Statistical evidence is presented which supports the widely held clinical impression that heavy, young, male animals are most susceptible to the disease.
Malan FS, Reinecke RK, Scialdo RC.The tongue, pharynx, oesophagus and gums are examined for larvae of gasterophilus spp., and the nose and sinuses for oestrid larvae. The gastro-intestinal tract is divided into separate specimens-stomach, small intestine, caecum, ventral colon, dorsal colon, descending colon and rectum- and each is examined separately. Aliquots of ingesta of 1/4 by mass of the stomach and 1/10 by mass of the small intestine, caecum, ventral colon and dorsal colon are collected for microscopic examination. Each part of the wall of the caecum, ventral and dorsal colon is washed and specimens are collected for su...
Blue MG, Wittkopp RW.Enteroliths were obtained by laparotomy or necropsy of 11 horses, and a collection of smaller concretions was found on pasture. Following analysis by energy-dispersion x-ray analysis and x-ray diffraction, they were found to consist primarily of ammonium magnesium phosphate. Several minor elements were detected, including titanium in some concretions. From a farm with a history of enterolith obstructions, the well water contained a high proportion of magnesium in relation to the other cations.
Kriek NP, Kellerman TS, Marasas WF.An isolate of Fusarium verticillioides (MRC826) that induced experimental leukoencephalomalacia, also caused acute toxicity when fed to pigs and administered per rumen fistula to sheep. Pigs developed severe pulmonary oedema while sheep manifested severe nephrosis and hepatosis. A less toxic isolate (F. verticillioides MRC602), fed to baboons, resulted in acute congestive heart failure or hepatic cirrhosis, depending on the dose. Both isolates were toxic to rats and caused similar lesions, namely, hepatic cirrhosis and intraventricular cardiac thrombosis.
Pointelli E, Santa-maria MA, Caretta G.A total of 1267 microfungi, including 35 Myxomycetes, were recorded from the fecal samples of the 60 horses; of these 395 were found on 20 saddle-horse feces, 363 on 20 race-horses and 509 on 20 working horses. Eighty two species representing 53 genera were recorded; of these 7 were Zygomycetes, 18 Ascomycetes, 1 Basidiomycetes and 25 Fungi Imperfecti: 2 Myxomycetes. Common coprophilous fungi are in decreasing order Pilobolus kleinii, Saccobolus depauperatus, Mucor hiemalis, Lasiobolus ciliatus, Podospora curvula, Petriella guttulata, M. circinelloides, Coprinus radiatus, Dictyostelium mucoroi...
Reppas GP, Canfield PJ.A 12-year-old Arab stallion was presented with a chronically swollen right carpus resulting in profound lameness of the same leg. An incisional biopsy of subcutaneous tissue from the right carpus submitted for cytology and histopathology revealed large numbers of eosinophils interspersed by substantial numbers of variably sized and granulated mast cells. Fungal culture of a subcutaneous tissue sample taken from the right carpus was negative. Serial full blood counts revealed persistent mature eosinophilia, not accompanied by a mastocytaemia, neutrophilia without left shift and persistent hyper...
Costa HM, Silva AV, Guimarães MP.This paper describes some morphological aspects of Cylicocyclus brevicapsulatus (Ihle, 1920) (Nematoda: Cyathostominae) from Equus caballus in Brazil. The worms were studied using an optical microscope (measurements and illustrations) and a scanning electron microscope for a more detailed examination of the external morphology. The buccal capsule is very short, with a very thin wall, and the dorsal gutter is absent. Other morphological aspects are described including measurement of the spicules and gubernaculum.
Palozzo A, Traversa D, Marruchella G, Celani G, Morelli S, Petrizzi L.Cutaneous habronemosis in horses is caused by larvae of the spirurid nematodes Habronema microstoma and Habronema muscae. These lesions, also known as "summer sores'', are often severe and disfiguring. Although Habronema-caused lesions at the coronary grooves have been described, cases of hoof cracks with secondary summer sores have never been reported. The present case describes clinic-pathological and surgical features of a quarter crack case complicated by cutaneous habronemosis at the dermal layers. A 15-year-old, Andalusian stallion was referred to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the ...
Coffman JR, Hammond LS, Garner HE, Thawley DG, Selby LA.A COMMON progression of chronic laminitis is ischaemic
necrosis with secondary infection a frequent complication.
For 6 years we have performed a complete blood count
(CBC) on all hospitalised horses (at the University of Missouri
Veterinary Hospital) every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Preliminary scrutiny of the results indicated that persistent
elevation of the total white blood cell count (WBC) and
neutrophilia was consistent with poor prognosis in horses
affected with laminitis. Because of these considerations we
decided to perform a retrospective examination of the blood
cell d...
Tranquille CA, Dyson SJ, Blunden AS, Collins SN, Parkin TD, Goodship AE, Murray RC.To determine whether histopathologic characteristics of the osteochondral units of equine distal tarsal joints were associated with exercise history in horses without lameness. Methods: 30 cadaver tarsi from horses without lameness and with known exercise history were separated into 3 groups: nonridden, pasture exercise (group P); low-intensity, ridden exercise (group L); and high-intensity, elite competition exercise (group E). Methods: Standardized sites from the centrodistal and tarsometatarsal joints under went histologic preparation. A grading system was adapted to describe location, dept...