Evaluation of high-speed treadmill videoendoscopy for diagnosis of upper respiratory tract dysfunction in horses.
Abstract: To evaluate high-speed treadmill videoendoscopy as a diagnostic technique and document the abnormalities found in Australian horses referred for poor performance associated with abnormal upper respiratory tract noise but where a definitive diagnosis could not be made at rest. Methods: A retrospective clinical study using client-owned horses. Methods: The clinical records and videorecordings of all horses referred to the University of Sydney for poor performance associated with abnormal upper respiratory tract noise during a 13-month period were examined. Only horses with a normal physical examination including absence of lameness, and where a definitive diagnosis of the cause of the abnormal upper respiratory tract noise could not be made from the resting videoendoscopic examination were included in the study. The age, gender, breed of horse and the purpose for which the horse was used were ascertained from the record and videorecordings were reviewed by the authors and any abnormalities noted. Results: There were 37 horses included in the study. An upper airway abnormality was identified during high-speed treadmill videoendoscopy in 73% of horses. One abnormality was identified in 22 horses, 2 abnormalities in 4 horses and 3 abnormalities in 1 horse. Abnormalities identified included laryngeal hemiparesis (n = 15), axial deviation of the aryepiglottic folds (n = 10), pharyngeal collapse (n = 3), dorsal displacement of the soft palate (n = 2), epiglottic collapse (n = 1), axial deviation of the vocal cord (n = 1) and laryngeal collapse (n = 1). Conclusions: The results of this study are similar to reports from overseas and suggest high-speed treadmill videoendoscopy appears to be a useful technique to diagnose the cause of upper airway dysfunction in Australian horses referred specifically for poor performance associated with abnormal upper respiratory noise. However, a diagnosis will not be made in all horses undergoing this procedure. There were five horses with two or three abnormalities none of which were apparent at rest. This would suggest that in all horses making abnormal upper respiratory noise associated with poor performance, even where an abnormality is identified at rest, high-speed treadmill videoendoscopy should be performed for a complete diagnosis.
Publication Date: 2001-03-21 PubMed ID: 11256279DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-0813.2001.tb10713.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Evaluation Study
- Journal Article
- Athletic Performance
- Clinical Examination
- Clinical Findings
- Clinical Study
- Diagnosis
- Diagnostic Technique
- Disease Diagnosis
- Endoscopy
- Equine Health
- Exercise Physiology
- Horses
- Laryngeal Dysfunction
- Pathology
- Performance Horses
- Respiratory Disease
- Retrospective Study
- Treadmill Exercise
- Veterinary Medicine
- Veterinary Research
- Videoendoscopy
Summary
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The research article evaluates the use of high-speed treadmill videoendoscopy to diagnose upper respiratory tract issues in horses that are underperforming and producing abnormal respiratory noise, despite having a normal physical examination and an absence of a definitive diagnosis made at rest. This method was able to identify abnormalities in 73% of the examined horses, suggesting its usefulness in diagnosing upper airway dysfunction.
Methods of the study
- The article presents a retrospective clinical study implemented on patient-owned horses over a time span of 13 months.
- Only horses with normal physical examination results, including the absence of lameness, and without definitive diagnosis from resting videoendoscopic examination, were included in the study.
- The clamshell records and videorecordings of these horses were meticulously reviewed.
- The details noted included the horses’ age, gender, breed, and the purpose they were used for.
- The authors specifically reviewed any abnormalities visible in the recordings.
Results of the study
- Out of the 37 horses included in the study, an upper airway abnormality was diagnosed in 73% of them through the use of high-speed treadmill videoendoscopy.
- The types of the diagnosed abnormalities varied, including laryngeal hemiparesis, axial deviation of the aryepiglottic folds, pharyngeal collapse, dorsal displacement of the soft palate, epiglottic collapse, axial deviation of the vocal cord, and laryngeal collapse.
- In some horses, more than one abnormality was observed.
Conclusion
- The results of this study align with similar research from overseas, suggesting that high-speed treadmill videoendoscopy is a useful technique in diagnosing upper airway dysfunction in horses.
- Significantly, this procedure was able to identify abnormalities in horses that were making abnormal upper respiratory noises during high-intensity exercise, but had been deemed normal when at rest.
- The study suggests that this method should be employed for a complete diagnosis, even in cases where an abnormality is identified at rest.
- However, it also highlights that this procedure does not guarantee a diagnosis in every case.
Cite This Article
APA
Dart AJ, Dowling BA, Hodgson DR, Rose RJ.
(2001).
Evaluation of high-speed treadmill videoendoscopy for diagnosis of upper respiratory tract dysfunction in horses.
Aust Vet J, 79(2), 109-112.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-0813.2001.tb10713.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences and Exercise Performance Laboratory, University of Sydney, Camden, New South Wales 2567.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Exercise Test / veterinary
- Female
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horses
- Male
- Physical Conditioning, Animal
- Predictive Value of Tests
- Records / veterinary
- Respiratory Tract Diseases / diagnosis
- Respiratory Tract Diseases / veterinary
- Retrospective Studies
- Thoracoscopy / standards
- Thoracoscopy / veterinary
- Video Recording
Citations
This article has been cited 4 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.
- Miller SM. Endoscopic recurrent laryngeal neuropathy grade prevalence in a sample of thoroughbred yearlings at public auction in South Africa (2013-2019). J S Afr Vet Assoc 2020 Apr 20;91(0):e1-e5.
- Grzeskowiak RM, Schumacher J, Mulon PY, Steiner RC, Cassone L, Anderson DE. Ex-vivo Mechanical Testing of Novel Laryngeal Clamps Used for Laryngeal Advancement Constructs. Front Vet Sci 2020;7:139.
- Rubin JA, Holt DE, Reetz JA, Clarke DL. Signalment, clinical presentation, concurrent diseases, and diagnostic findings in 28 dogs with dynamic pharyngeal collapse (2008-2013). J Vet Intern Med 2015 May-Jun;29(3):815-21.
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