Endoscopy of the upper respiratory tract during treadmill exercise: a clinical study of 100 horses.
Abstract: Endoscopy of the upper respiratory tract was performed in 100 horses during high speed treadmill exercise. Reasons for endoscopy were a history of an abnormal noise during exercise in 75 horses, poor performance in 17 horses and to evaluate the results of upper respiratory tract surgery in 8 horses. Of the 75 horses with a history of an abnormal noise during exercise the cause was determined in 67 (89%). Endoscopic abnormalities were detected at rest in 40 of these 75 horses (53%). In these 40 horses, a similar diagnosis as to the cause of the abnormal noise was made at rest and during exercise on the treadmill in 19 cases, while in the remaining 21 the endoscopic findings during exercise varied from that seen at rest. This included 3 horses in which a diagnosis was made at rest but no abnormalities were detected during exercise. Some of the findings during treadmill endoscopy included laryngeal dysfunction, grades 3, 4 and 5 (22 cases), dorsal displacement of the soft palate (20), epiglottic entrapment (8), epiglottic flutter (4), aryepiglottic fold flutter (4), pharyngeal collapse (3), arytenoiditis (3), vocal cord flutter (3), false nostril noise (2), pharyngeal lymphoid hyperplasia (2), soft palate haemorrhage (1) and positional arytenoid collapse (1). More than one abnormality was observed during exercise in 7 horses. A complete and correct diagnosis based on the resting endoscopy findings alone was made in 19 (25%) of these 75 cases. In the 17 horses examined because of poor performance, no abnormalities were detected during treadmill endoscopy that were not evident at rest.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Publication Date: 1995-03-01 PubMed ID: 7611982DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-0813.1995.tb15020.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Clinical Findings
- Clinical Study
- Diagnosis
- Diagnostic Technique
- Disease Diagnosis
- Endoscopy
- Equine Health
- Exercise Physiology
- Exercise Test
- Hemorrhage
- Horses
- Laryngeal Dysfunction
- Larynx
- Observational Study
- Performance Horses
- Pharynx
- Respiratory Disease
- Surgery
- Treadmill Exercise
- Veterinary Medicine
- Veterinary Procedure
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
The study reveals that conducting an endoscopy on horses while they are using a high-speed treadmill can accurately recognize respiratory issues that were otherwise undetectable while the horse was at rest. The discrepancies between diagnoses at rest and during exercise shows that some respiratory problems only manifest during physical activity.
Methodology and Reason for Study
- The research team conducted an endoscopy on 100 horses while they were running on a treadmill at high-speed.
- The main reasons for performing endoscopy included a history of abnormal noise during exercise in 75 horses, poor performance in 17, and assessing the results of previous upper respiratory tract surgery in 8 horses.
Findings
- Endoscopic abnormalities were discovered at rest in 53% of the 75 horses with a history of abnormal noise during exercise.
- Of these, in 19 horses the diagnosis remained consistent from rest to exercise, while in 21 horses, findings changed when the horse was in motion.
- Various endoscopic findings during treadmill exercise included laryngeal dysfunction, dorsal displacement of the soft palate, epiglottic entrapment, aryepiglottic fold flutter, pharyngeal collapse, arytenoiditis, vocal cord flutter, false nostril noise, pharyngeal lymphoid hyperplasia, soft palate haemorrhage, and positional arytenoid collapse.
Comparison of Diagnosis at Rest and During Exercise
- A complete and correct diagnosis based on rest-endoscopy only occurred in 25% of the 75 cases with abnormal noise history, emphasizing the need for evaluation during exercise.
- Among the 17 horses examined due to poor performance issues, no additional abnormalities were found during treadmill endoscopy that were not discernible at rest.
The research concludes that detailed endoscopic examination during high-speed treadmill exercise offers more precise diagnoses of upper respiratory tract abnormalities that were difficult to determine at rest. This method notably increased the likelihood of accurate diagnosis among horses displaying abnormal noise during exercise.
Cite This Article
APA
Kannegieter NJ, Dore ML.
(1995).
Endoscopy of the upper respiratory tract during treadmill exercise: a clinical study of 100 horses.
Aust Vet J, 72(3), 101-107.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-0813.1995.tb15020.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University of Sydney, New South Wales.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Endoscopy / veterinary
- Exercise Test / veterinary
- Female
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horses
- Laryngeal Diseases / diagnosis
- Laryngeal Diseases / veterinary
- Male
- Motor Activity
- Physical Conditioning, Animal
- Respiratory Sounds / diagnosis
- Respiratory Sounds / veterinary
- Respiratory System
- Videotape Recording
Citations
This article has been cited 11 times.- Jeong S, Bond S, Bayly W, Sole-Guitart A. Laser fenestration of the dorsal pharyngeal recess does not correct experimentally induced dorsal nasopharyngeal collapse in horses. Vet Surg 2026 Jan;55(1):88-100.
- Kozłowska N, Borowska M, Jasiński T, Wierzbicka M, Domino M. Computer-Aided Diagnosis of Equine Pharyngeal Lymphoid Hyperplasia Using the Object Detection-Based Processing Technique of Digital Endoscopic Images. Animals (Basel) 2025 Sep 22;15(18).
- Norton AM, Rosanowski SM, O'Brien T. Comparative analysis of racing performance following surgical correction of epiglottic entrapment in standardbreds and thoroughbreds. Front Vet Sci 2024;11:1479144.
- Lo Feudo CM, Stucchi L, Conturba B, Stancari G, Zucca E, Ferrucci F. Medical causes of poor performance and their associations with fitness in Standardbred racehorses. J Vet Intern Med 2023 Jul-Aug;37(4):1514-1527.
- Lo Feudo CM, Stancari G, Collavo F, Stucchi L, Conturba B, Zucca E, Ferrucci F. Upper and Lower Airways Evaluation and Its Relationship with Dynamic Upper Airway Obstruction in Racehorses. Animals (Basel) 2022 Jun 17;12(12).
- Ahern BJ, Sole A, de Klerk K, Hogg LR, Vallance SA, Bertin FR, Franklin SH. Evaluation of postsale endoscopy as a predictor of future racing performance in an Australian thoroughbred yearling population. Aust Vet J 2022 Jun;100(6):254-260.
- Weller D, Franklin S, Shea G, White P, Fenner K, Wilson B, Wilkins C, McGreevy P. The Reported Use of Nosebands in Racing and Equestrian Pursuits. Animals (Basel) 2020 Apr 30;10(5).
- Mellor DJ, Beausoleil NJ. Equine Welfare during Exercise: An Evaluation of Breathing, Breathlessness and Bridles. Animals (Basel) 2017 May 26;7(6).
- Kane-Smyth J, Barnett TP, Mark O'Leary J, Dixon PM. Surgical Treatment of Iatrogenic Ventral Glottic Stenosis Using a Mucosal Flap Technique. Vet Surg 2016 May;45(4):436-42.
- Go LM, Barton AK, Ohnesorge B. Pharyngeal diameter in various head and neck positions during exercise in sport horses. BMC Vet Res 2014 May 23;10:117.
- Ferrucci F, Zucca E, Di Fabio V, Ferro E. Treadmill endoscopic findings in 15 racehorses presented for poor performance. Vet Res Commun 2003 Sep;27 Suppl 1:395-7.
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