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Association of owner-reported noise with findings during dynamic respiratory endoscopy in Thoroughbred racehorses.
Abstract: To determine the association between owner-reported noise and findings during dynamic respiratory endoscopy (DRE) in a large case series. Objective: The sensitivity of owner-reported noise for dynamic upper respiratory tract obstructions in horses is low, and the specificity is high. Methods: One hundred horses underwent DRE for the investigation of abnormal respiratory noise and/or poor performance. The association of abnormal noise with findings during DRE was evaluated. Results: Eighty-five horses underwent DRE for the investigation of abnormal respiratory noise. Of these, 82% were found to have one or more obstructive upper respiratory tract abnormalities during DRE. Forty-eight percent of horses reported to gurgle, rattle or make a rough noise were diagnosed with solitary palatal dysfunction. A further 24% with this history showed palatal dysfunction in combination with an additional abnormality. Twenty-seven percent of horses with a history of whistling or roaring showed some degree of recurrent laryngeal neuropathy. Seven percent of horses with a history of whistling or roaring had vocal cord collapse as a solitary condition, whereas 40% had vocal cord collapse and another abnormality. The sensitivity of abnormal respiratory noise for any obstruction of the upper portion of the respiratory tract was high (84%), while the specificity was low (25%). Characteristic owner reported noise patterns showed moderate to low sensitivity for specific conditions. Whistling and roaring showed the highest specificity (≥80%) for laryngeal dysfunction. Conclusions: Diagnosis of upper respiratory tract obstructions based solely on owner-reported noise and performance history may result in incomplete diagnoses. Conclusions: DRE should be performed in horses with abnormal respiratory noise to rule out complex conditions of the upper portion of the respiratory tract.
© 2010 EVJ Ltd.
Publication Date: 2010-12-15 PubMed ID: 21143628DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00152.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
- Case Reports
- Clinical Findings
- Clinical Pathology
- Clinical Study
- Clinical Symptoms
- Diagnosis
- Diagnostic Technique
- Disease Diagnosis
- Endoscopy
- Equine Diseases
- Equine Health
- Horse Owners
- Horses
- Laryngeal Dysfunction
- Respiratory Disease
- Respiratory Health
- Thoroughbreds
- Veterinary Care
- Veterinary Medicine
- Veterinary Research
Summary
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This research investigates the relationship between horse owners’ reports of abnormal respiratory noises and actual respiratory conditions diagnosed through dynamic respiratory endoscopy (DRE) in racehorses. It finds that relying solely on reported noises can result in incomplete diagnoses and recommends conducting DRE for a thorough evaluation of upper respiratory tract obstructions.
Objective and Methodology
- The study aims to gauge the accuracy of owner-reported abnormal respiratory noises in identifying dynamic upper respiratory tract obstructions in horses. It does this by comparing the owners’ perceptions with results obtained through dynamic respiratory endoscopy.
- The research involves 100 racehorses undergoing DRE to investigate reported abnormal respiratory noises and/or poor performance. Using these results, they assess the correlation between reported noises and verified DRE findings.
Results
- Of the 85 horses investigated for abnormal respiratory noise, found during DRE shows 82% had one or more obstructive upper respiratory tract abnormalities.
- Of these horses, 48% diagnosed with solitary palatal dysfunction were reported to produce noises like a gurgle, rattle, or rough sound. 24% having similar noises demonstrated palatal dysfunction along with an additional abnormality.
- 27% of the horses with a history of whistling or roaring exhibited varying degrees of recurrent laryngeal neuropathy.
- 7% of these whistling or roaring horses had a vocal cord collapse as the only condition. In contrast, 40% of these cases involved a concomitant abnormal condition.
- The research suggests a high sensitivity (84%) but low specificity (25%) of abnormal respiratory noise for diagnosing any obstruction in the upper part of the respiratory tract. Owner-reported noise patterns showed moderate to low sensitivity for specific conditions.
- Whistling and roaring noises exhibited the highest specificity (≥80%) for diagnosing laryngeal dysfunction.
Conclusions
- The study concludes that relying only on owner-reported noise and performance history may result in incomplete diagnoses of upper respiratory tract obstructions in horses.
- As such, DRE is recommended as a reliable examination to rule out complex conditions of the upper portion of the horse’s respiratory tract, especially when respiratory noise is reported.
Cite This Article
APA
Witte SH, Witte TH, Harriss F, Kelly G, Pollock P.
(2010).
Association of owner-reported noise with findings during dynamic respiratory endoscopy in Thoroughbred racehorses.
Equine Vet J, 43(1), 9-17.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00152.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Pferdeklinik der VetSuisse Fakultät der Universität Bern, Bern, Switzerland. stefwitte@hotmail.com
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Endoscopy / methods
- Endoscopy / veterinary
- Exercise Test / veterinary
- Female
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horses
- Male
- Respiratory Tract Diseases / diagnosis
- Respiratory Tract Diseases / pathology
- Respiratory Tract Diseases / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 1 times.- McGivney CL, McGivney BA, Farries G, Gough KF, Han H, Holtby AR, MacHugh DE, Katz LM, Hill EW. A genome-wide association study for recurrent laryngeal neuropathy in the Thoroughbred horse identifies a candidate gene that regulates myelin structure. Equine Vet J 2025 Jul;57(4):943-952.
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