Equine Diagnostic Plans and Panels
The following diagnostic plans have been developed primarily as an educational tool to assist the veterinarian in designing a complete, although not exhaustive, diagnostic strategy. To encourage veterinarians to select only the tests that are deemed clinically appropriate in each situation, the price of the diagnostic plan is not discounted from the sum of the individual test costs.
For the test groupings labeled as panels, there may be a discounted price versus the costs of the individual tests. Diagnostic plans and panels can be requested by writing the complete name as the test request. If appropriate samples are included all tests will be performed.
Antimicrobial susceptibilities for culture isolates are available upon request at an additional charge.
List of Plans and Panels
ACTH and Insulin
ACTH, Insulin and Leptin
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| ACTH Baseline | ACTHEQ |
|
| Insulin Baseline | INSEQ |
|
| Leptin | LEPTIN |
|
Notes
Ship chilled.
Coagulation Panel, Large Animal
Panel Code: COAGPL
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Fibrinogen | FIB |
|
| Prothrombin Time | PT |
|
| aPTT (Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time) | APTT |
|
Notes
Ship chilled.
Dermatology Diagnostic Plan
All skin biopsy submissions should be accompanied by a Dermatohistopathology Submission Form.
Deep lesion
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Aerobic bacterial culture | AER |
|
| Fungal Culture | FUNGCM |
|
| Fungal KOH Fluorescent Stain | FUNGKOH |
|
| Gram Stain | GRAM |
|
| Histopathology (biopsy) | HISTO |
|
Superficial lesion
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Fungal Culture | FUNGCM |
|
| Fungal KOH Fluorescent Stain | FUNGKOH |
|
| Gram Stain | GRAM |
|
| Histopathology (biopsy) | HISTO |
|
| Skin Scraping | SSE |
|
Notes
Deep lesion samples: Ship chilled and protect fixed tissue from freezing.
Superficial lesion samples: Ship at room temperature and protect from temperature extremes. Protect slides from formalin exposure.
DIC Panel, Large Animal
Panel Code: DICPL
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Antithrombin | AT3 |
|
| D-dimer Quantitative | DDIQ |
|
| Fibrinogen | FIB |
|
| Prothrombin Time | PT |
|
| aPTT (Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time) | APTT |
|
Notes
Ship chilled.
Equine Abortion Fetal Tissue Diagnostic Plan
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| (3) Aerobic Bacterial Culture | AER |
|
| Equine Arteritis Virus (EAV) FA | EVAFA |
|
| Equine Herpesvirus PCR Panel | EHVPNL |
|
| Histopathology | HISTO |
|
| (2) Leptospira PCR | LEPTPCR |
|
Notes
Collect fetal heart blood, pleural fluid or abdominal fluid and place in red top tube for possible antibody serology testing.
If full necropsy desired, see Necropsy Testing.
Ship chilled and protect fixed tissue from freezing.
Placenta samples will be cultured as one of the 3 aerobic cultures and held for sufficient time to detect Nocardioform agents.
Consider adding: Virus Isolation Fresh tissue: placenta, liver, lung, brain, adrenal, heart, thymus, small intestine, and fetal skin - labelled and individually bagged
In abortions from Quarter Horses, Paints and Quarter Horse crosses, testing for glycogen branching enzyme disease should be added. Call for test information. There will be an additional fee for this testing.
*WNV testing recommended only during appropriate season: WNELPL: West Nile Virus (WNV) IgG/IgM Capture ELISA Combination. Serum from fetal heart blood. If not available, peritoneal, pleural, or pericardial fluid - in sterile red top tube.
Equine Abortion Serology Panel + Selenium
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Equine Arteritis Virus (EAV) SN | EVASN |
|
| Equine Herpesvirus-1 (Rhinopneumonitis) SN | EHV1SN |
|
| Equine Herpesvirus-4 (EHV-4) SN | EHV4SN |
|
| Equine Influenza Virus (EIV) HAI | EIVHAI |
|
| Leptospira MAT, 5 standard serovars | LEPTO |
|
| Selenium, whole blood | SEL |
|
Notes
Ship chilled.
When acute samples are received, the serologic assays will be run at that time, and samples retained. If second, convalescent samples are later submitted, please note the accession number for the acute serology. Tests on both samples will be run in parallel and paired results should be interpreted. No fee will be applied to the second test performed on the acute sample at the time of the paired testing.
Equine Basic Workup
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Fecal Floatation | FLOAT |
|
| Hemogram, Large Animal | LA CBC |
|
| Large Animal Chemistry | LA P |
|
| Serum Amyloid A | SAA VET |
|
Notes
Ship chilled except for slides which should remain at room temperature.
Equine Chronic Ill Thrift/Weight Loss Plan
Certain myopathies may also present as chronic ill thrift or weight loss, please see Equine Myopathy Panel for further testing strategy
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| ACTH Baseline | ACTHEQ |
|
| Insulin Baseline | INSEQ |
|
| ACTH Post TRH | ACTHPOSTTRH1 |
|
| ACTH Pre TRH | ACTHPRETRH |
|
| Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) Virus c-ELISA | EIAEL |
|
| Fecal Floatation | FLOAT |
|
| Hemogram, Large Animal | LA CBC |
|
| Large Animal Chemistry | LA P |
|
| Lawsonia intracellularis qPCR | LAWPCR |
|
| Peritoneal Fluid Cytology | PTFE |
|
| Sand Recovery Analysis | SAND |
|
| Selenium, whole blood | SEL |
|
| Serum Amyloid A | SAA VET |
|
| Thyroid Panel, Equine | THYPALLI |
|
| Vitamin E in serum | NDIK |
|
Notes
- * Horses with EPM may present with asymmetrical muscle wasting or weakness – diagnostics to consider include Sarcocystis neurona EPM SAG 2,3,4 ELISA and Neospora hughesi ELISA. Both assays are referred to Equine Diagnostic Solutions.
- * Cyathostomiasis (encysted small strongyle larval infection) may cause chronic ill thrift. In these cases the absence of strongyle eggs and larvae on fecal floatation does not rule out a diagnosis of cyathostomiasis.
- * Lawsonia intracellularis, the causative agent of Equine Proliferative Enteropathy, effects horses in the weanling to yearling age range, from approximately 2 to 18 months of age. Rarely adult horses may be affected.
- ** For diagnosis of PPID if geriatric horses
- *** Used to aid in the diagnosis of lymphoma
Please note that additional referral diagnostics to consider with this plan may include Caseous lymphadenitis, Hay Analysis, Thymidine Kinase and Lawsonia intracellularis IPMA. Visit our referral testing web page for referral lab contact information. Please contact the AHDC Veterinary Support Services team with any questions (vetsupport@cornell.edu, 607.253.3900).
Equine Complete Ophthalmic Diagnostic Plan
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Aerobic bacterial culture | AER |
|
| Fungal Culture | FUNGCM |
|
| Leptospira MAT, 5 standard serovars | LEPTO |
|
| Leptospira PCR | LEPTPCR |
|
| Lyme Disease (Borrelia burgdorferi) PCR | LYMPCR |
|
| Lyme Disease, Equine Multiplex Assay | EQLM |
|
| Parasite Identification | PID |
|
Notes
Ship chilled except for slides should be kept at room temperature.
Equine Cryptorchid Panel
Panel Code: CRYPL
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Estrone Sulfate | E1S |
|
| Testosterone baseline | TE |
|
Notes
Ship chilled.
Horses must be at least 3 years of age. If less than 3 years consider HCG or GnRH Response, Testosterone and see Large Animal Reproductive Tests for protocols.
Equine Diarrhea, Adult (Acute) Diagnostic Plan
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
Anaerobic Bacterial Culture Clostridium perfringens Genotype PCR |
| |
| Clostridium difficile Toxins (A/B) | CLDT |
|
| Coronavirus PCR, Beta | BCOR |
|
| Fecal Flotation | FLOAT |
|
| Hemogram, Large Animal Examination for blood parasites included | LA CBC |
|
| Large Animal Chemistry | LA P |
|
| Lawsonia intracellularis PCR | LAWPCR |
|
| Potomac Horse Fever PCR | EHRR |
|
| Potomac Horse Fever (PHF) IFA | PHF |
|
| Salmonella culture | SALM |
|
| Selenium, whole blood | SEL |
|
Notes
* Consider referral testing for the Clostridium perfringens Type A netF pore-forming toxin in foals, available on fresh feces or colon tissue through the UC Davis Veterinary PCR Laboratory. https://pcrlab.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/veterinary-diagnostics/veterinary-submission-formsdiagnostic-tests-and-panels
Ship chilled (keep feces for toxin testing frozen) except for ParaPak®, Port-a-cul™ and slides which should be kept at room temperature.
Equine Diarrhea, Adult (Chronic) Diagnostic Plan
Clinical cases of Lawsonia intracellularis are more often documented in horses between 2-18 months of age and rarely in adults.
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Fecal Flotation | FLOAT |
|
| Hemogram, Large Animal | LA CBC |
|
| Large Animal Chemistry | LA P |
|
| Lawsonia intracellularis PCR | LAWPCR |
|
| Salmonella culture | SALM |
|
| Sand Recovery Analysis | SAND |
|
| Selenium, whole blood | SEL |
|
Notes
Ship chilled except for ParaPak® and slides which should be kept at room temperature.
Please note that additional referral diagnostics to consider with this plan may include Thymidine Kinase. Visit our referral testing web page for referral lab contact information. Please contact the AHDC Veterinary Support Services team with any questions (vetsupport@cornell.edu, 607.253.3900).
Equine Diarrhea/Septicemia Foal (Acute) Diagnostic Plan
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
Anaerobic bacterial culture Clostridium perfringens Genotype PCR |
| |
| (2) Blood Culture, Aerobic | BLDAER |
|
| (2) Blood Culture, Anaerobic | BLDAN |
|
| Clostridium difficile Toxins (A/B) | CLDT |
|
| Coronavirus PCR, Beta | BCOR |
|
| Fecal Flotation | FLOAT |
|
| Hemogram, Large Animal | LA CBC |
|
| Immunoglobulin G, Equine - TIA | EQUINE IGG |
|
| Large Animal Chemistry | LA P |
|
| Lawsonia intracellularis PCR | LAWPCR |
|
| Rotavirus Antigen Detection Group A | RLA |
|
| Salmonella culture | SALM |
|
| Selenium, whole blood | SEL |
|
| Serum Amyloid A | SAA VET |
|
Notes
If septicemia suspected, include (2) Blood cultures, aerobic and (2) Blood cultures, anaerobic.
If fecal float is negative, consider Cryptosporidium ELISA and Giardia ELISA which are performed on fecal samples.
May also consider referral to University of Kentucky VDL for Rotavirus B PCR on fecal samples.
*Consider referral testing for Clostridium perfringens Type A and C in foals using alpha and beta toxin ELISA on freshly collected and promptly frozen feces: https://pcrlab.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/veterinary-diagnostics/veterinary-submission-formsdiagnostic-tests-and-panels
Ship chilled (keep feces for toxin testing frozen) except for blood culture bottles, Port-a-cul™ and slides which should be kept at room temperature.
IgG results available within the same day.
To order blood culture bottles go to shipping services or call 607.253.3935. If non-group A Rotavirus is suspected, Electron Microscopy can be requested.
Equine Diarrhea, Weanling/Yearling (Acute) Diagnostic Plan
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Aerobic bacterial culture | AER |
|
| Anaerobic bacterial culture | ANAER |
|
| Clostridium difficile Toxins (A/B) | CLDT |
|
| Clostridium perfringens Enterotoxin | CLPT |
|
| Coronavirus PCR, Beta | BCOR |
|
| Fecal Floatation | FLOAT |
|
| Hemogram, Large Animal | LA CBC |
|
| Large Animal Chemistry | LA P |
|
| Lawsonia PCR | LAWPCR |
|
| Potomac Horse Fever (PHF) IFA | PHF |
|
| Potomac Horse Fever (PHF) PCR | EHRR |
|
| Rotavirus Antigen Detection Group A | RLA |
|
| Salmonella culture | SALM |
|
| Sand Recovery Analysis | SAND |
|
| Selenium, whole blood | SEL |
|
Notes
Please note that additional referral diagnostics to consider with this plan may include Lawsonia IPMA. Visit our referral testing web page for referral lab contact information. Please contact the AHDC Veterinary Support Services team with any questions (vetsupport@cornell.edu, 607.253.3900).
Equine Fever of Unknown Origin (Acute) Diagnostic Plan
If the entire plan is not desired, individual tests can be requested separately. Follow test hyperlinks to find individual test pricing.
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Aerobic Bacterial Culture | AER |
|
| Anaerobic bacterial culture | ANAER |
|
| Anaplasma phagocytophilum PCR Included at a reduced price in the Equine Fever of Unknown Origin PCR Panel | EHRE |
|
| (3) Blood Culture, Aerobic/Fungal | BLDAER |
|
| (3) Blood Culture, Anaerobic | BLDAN |
|
| Cerebrospinal Fluid Cytology or Peritoneal fluid cytology or Pleural fluid cytology or Tracheal wash cytology | CSFE PTFE PLFE TWE |
|
| Coronavirus PCR, Beta Included at a reduced price in the Equine Fever of Unknown Origin PCR Panel | BCOR |
|
| Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) PCR | EEEPCR |
|
| Equine Adenovirus 1 PCR Included at a reduced price in the Equine Fever of Unknown Origin PCR Panel | EAD1 |
|
| Equine Adenovirus 2 PCR Included at a reduced price in the Equine Fever of Unknown Origin PCR Panel | EAD2 |
|
| Equine Arteritis Virus PCR Included at a reduced price in the Equine Fever of Unknown Origin PCR Panel | EAR |
|
| Equine Herpesvirus PCR Panel Included at a reduced price in the Equine Fever of Unknown Origin PCR Panel | EHVPNL |
|
| Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) Virus c-ELISA | EIAEL |
|
| Equine Parvovirus PCR | EQPVPCR |
|
| Equine Rhinitis Virus A PCR Included at a reduced price in the Equine Fever of Unknown Origin PCR Panel | ERHA |
|
| Equine Rhinitis Virus B PCR Included at a reduced price in the Equine Fever of Unknown Origin PCR Panel | ERHB |
|
| Fecal Floatation | FLOAT |
|
| Hemogram, Large Animal | LA CBC |
|
| Influenza Virus Matrix PCR Included at a reduced price in the Equine Fever of Unknown Origin PCR Panel | IVMPCR |
|
| Large Animal Chemistry | LA P |
|
| Lawsonia intracellularis qPCR | LAWPCR |
|
| Leptospira MAT, 5 standard serovars | LEPTO |
|
| Leptospira Real-time PCR | LEPTPCR |
|
| Potomac Horse Fever PCR Included at a reduced price in the Equine Fever of Unknown Origin PCR Panel | EHRR |
|
| Potomac Horse Fever (PHF) IFA | PHF |
|
| Salmonella culture | SALM |
|
| Serum Amyloid A | SAA VET |
|
| Streptococcus equi Culture | SEQUCUL |
|
| Streptococcus equi PCR Included at a reduced price in the Equine Fever of Unknown Origin PCR Panel | SEQUPCR |
|
| Tracheal Wash Cytology | TWE |
|
| Urinalysis, Routine | UA |
|
| Urine Culture | URCUL |
|
| Virus Isolation | VI |
|
| West Nile Virus (WNV) IgG/IgM Capture ELISA Combination | WNELPL |
|
| West Nile Virus (WNV) PCR | WNVPCR |
|
Notes
For fever in a foal, please refer to Equine Diarrhea/Septicemia, Neonatal Foal Acute Diarrhea Diagnostic Plan.
This diagnostic plan is designed to detect a broad spectrum of systemic bacterial, viral, and some blood parasite causes of acute fever of unknown origin, as well as certain inflammatory changes which may assist in determining the underlying problems. Viral causes of illness are best detected during the first week of illness. This plan is not intended to be ordered in its entirety, rather the clinician should select the most appropriate tests consistent with the patient’s history, clinical signs, geographic location and season. See Large Animal Internal Medicine, 6th Edition, 2019, Chapter 4: Fever of Unknown Origin
Please note that additional referral diagnostics to consider with this plan may include Caseous lymphadenitis, Encephalitis, Eastern, IgM ELISA, Lawsonia IPMA and Piroplasmosis c-ELISA. Visit our referral testing web page for referral lab contact information. Please contact the AHDC Veterinary Support Services team with any questions (vetsupport@cornell.edu, 607.253.3900).
Equine Fever of Unknown Origin (Chronic) Diagnostic Plan
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Aerobic Bacterial Culture | AER |
|
| Anaerobic Bacterial Culture | ANAER |
|
| Anaplasma phagocytophilum PCR | EHRE |
|
| (3) Blood Culture, Aerobic/Fungal | BLDAER |
|
| (3) Blood Culture, Anaerobic | BLDAN |
|
| Cerebrospinal Fluid Cytology or Peritoneal fluid cytology or Pleural fluid cytology or Tracheal wash cytology | CSFE PTFE PLFE TWE |
|
| Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) Virus c-ELISA | EIAEL |
|
| Hemogram, Large Animal | LA CBC |
|
| Large Animal Chemistry | LA P |
|
| Lawsonia intracellularis PCR | LAWPCR |
|
| Serum Amyloid A | SAA VET |
|
| Streptococcus equi Culture | SEQUCUL |
|
| Urinalysis, Routine | UA |
|
| Urine Culture | URCUL |
|
| Virus Isolation | VI |
|
Notes
Please note that additional referral diagnostics to consider with this plan may include Anaplasma phagocytophilum IFA, Lawsonia IPMA, Piroplasmosis c-ELISA and Streptococcus equi ELISA. Visit our referral testing web page for referral lab contact information. Please contact the AHDC Veterinary Support Services team with any questions (vetsupport@cornell.edu, 607.253.3900).
Equine Fever of Unknown Origin PCR Panel
Panel Code: EFUOP
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Anaplasma phagocytophilum PCR | EHRE |
|
| Coronavirus PCR, Beta | BCOR |
|
| Equine Herpesvirus 1 PCR | EHV1PCR |
|
| Equine Herpesvirus 4 PCR | EHV4PCR |
|
| Equine Respiratory PCR Panel | ERPNL |
|
| Potomac Horse Fever PCR | EHRR |
|
| Salmonella Culture | SALM |
|
Notes
This panel is not a comprehensive list of etiologies of fever of unknown origin in the horse. For a more comprehensive list of tests for fever of unknown origin, please refer to the Equine Fever of Unknown Origin (Acute) Diagnostic Plan.
Equine Foal Joint Ill Diagnostic Plan
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Aerobic Bacterial Culture includes direct plating plus enrichment | AER |
|
| Anaerobic Bacterial Culture | ANAER |
|
| Blood Culture, Aerobic/Fungal | BLDAER |
|
| Blood Culture, Anaerobic | BLDAN |
|
| Hemogram, Large Animal | LA CBC |
|
| Immunoglobulin G, Equine - TIA | EQUINE IGG |
|
| Large Animal Chemistry | LA P |
|
| Serum Amyloid A | SAA VET |
|
| Synovial Fluid Cytology white blood cell count, total protein | JFE |
|
Notes
In rare circumstances a Fungal culture may also be warranted.
Synovial fluid can be placed in blood culture bottles to assist in bacterial recovery but sterility of sample procurement is mandatory. See blood culture technique for more information. To order blood culture bottles go to shipping services or call (607) 253-3935.
Ship all chilled except for Port-a-cul, blood culture bottles, and slides which should be at room temperature.
Equine Geriatric Horse Diagnostic Plan
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| ACTH Baseline | ACTHEQ |
|
| Insulin Baseline | INSEQ |
|
| ACTH Post TRH 10min | ACTHPOSTTRH1 |
|
| ACTH Post TRH 30min | ACTHPOSTTRH2 |
|
| ACTH Pre TRH | ACTHPRETRH |
|
| Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) Virus c-ELISA | EIAEL |
|
| Fecal Floatation | FLOAT |
|
| Hemogram, Large Animal | LA CBC |
|
| Large Animal Chemistry | LA P |
|
| Selenium, whole blood | SEL |
|
| Vitamin E in serum | NDIK |
|
Notes
Need to include appropriate paperwork for coggins. Ship chilled.
If serum sample is more than 5 days old an EIA AGID will be substituted for the EIA c-ELISA.
Equine Herpesvirus PCR Panel/EHM
Panel Code: EHVPNL
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Equine Herpesvirus PCR Panel | EHVPNL |
|
| Equine Herpesvirus 1 Neurological Genotyping | EHVN |
|
Notes
Refrigerate and ship chilled.
Equine Liver Panel
Plan Code: EQUINE LIVER
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| A/G Ratio |
| |
| Albumin | ALB |
|
| Aspartate Aminotransferase | AST |
|
| Bilirubin Panel (total, direct, indirect) | BILIP |
|
| Creatine kinase | CK |
|
| Gamma Glutamyl Transferase | GGT |
|
| Globulin |
| |
| Glutamate Dehydrogenase, blood | GLDH |
|
| Sorbitol Dehydrogenase, blood | SDH |
|
| Total Protein with Albumin and Globulins |
| |
| Triglycerides | TRIG |
|
Notes
Ship chilled.
Equine Mare Infertility Diagnostic Plan
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Aerobic bacterial culture | AER |
|
| Fungal Culture | FUNGCM |
|
| Histopathology | HISTO |
|
| Selenium, whole blood | SEL |
|
| Vitamin E in serum | NDIK |
|
Notes
May also want to consider (2) Progesterone baseline samples 10-12 days apart or possibly a Granulosa cell panel* (progesterone, testosterone, inhibin included for if indicated. Additional serum would need to be submitted.
Ship culture swabs, EDTA whole blood and serum chilled. Protect fixed tissue from freezing and keep slides at room temperature and protect them from formalin exposure.
Equine Metabolic Syndrome Diagnostic Plan
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| ACTH Baseline | ACTHEQ |
|
| ACTH Pre TRH Response | ACTHPRETRH |
|
| ACTH Post TRH 10 min | ACTHPOSTTRH1 |
|
| ACTH Post TRH 30 min | ACTHPOSTTRH2 |
|
| Insulin Baseline | INSEQ |
|
| Leptin | LEPTIN |
|
| Glucose | GLU |
|
| T4 (Thyroxine) - Immulite | T4I |
|
Notes
Ship chilled/frozen. See Equine Metabolic Syndrome Tests for more information.
Equine Myopathy Plan
Horses with EPM may present with asymmetrical muscle wasting or weakness – diagnostics to consider include Sarcocystis neurona EPM SAG 2,3,4 ELISA and Neospora hughesi ELISA. Both assays are referred to Equine Diagnostic Solutions.
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| (2) Creatine kinase | CK |
|
| Selenium, whole blood | SEL |
|
| Vitamin E in serum | NDIK |
|
Notes
Muscle biopsy recommendations vary depending on the type of equine myopathy suspected. Please visit the Valberg Neuromuscular Diagnostic Laboratory for muscle biopsy guidance, including biopsy location and specimen handling instructions. In order to preserve specimen integrity and for best diagnostic results, muscle biopsies should be sent directly to MSU Integrated histopathology lab.
While muscle biopsy is required for the diagnosis of many equine myopathies, genetic testing is available through the UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory for select equine myopathies, including Type 1 Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy (PSSM1), Glycogen Branching Enzyme Deficiency (GBED) in foals, Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis (HYPP), Myosin Heavy Chain Myopathy (MYHM), and Malignant Hyperthermia (MH).
Equine Neurologic Diagnostic Plan
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Aerobic bacterial culture | AER |
|
| Cerebrospinal Fluid Cytology | CSFE |
|
| Equine Herpesvirus-1 PCR | EHV1PCR |
|
| Fungal Culture | FUNGCM |
|
| Histopathology | HISTO |
|
| Lyme Disease PCR | LYMPCR |
|
| Ref: Encephalitis, Eastern, IgM ELISA | REEEIGM |
|
| Ref: EPM CSF:Serum Ratio | REPMSR |
|
| Selenium, tissue | NCRJ |
|
| Selenium, whole blood | SEL |
|
| Vitamin E Alcohol, in serum | NDIK |
|
| West Nile Virus Eastern Encephalitis Virus PCR Panel | WNVEEEPCRP |
|
| West Nile Virus (WNV) IgG/IgM Capture ELISA Combination | WNELPL |
|
Notes
Ship chilled except for slides which should be kept at room temperature.
May want to retain feed sources including hay and collect stomach contents for possible botulism testing. Contact lab for more information.
‡ The Equine Herpes Virus-1 Neuropathogenic Genotype PCR (EHVN) can be requested for an additional fee.
EPM SAG 2,3,4 (CSF: Serum Ratio) is only testing for antibodies to Sarcocystis neurona. If testing for Neospora hughesi you must also request referral to Equine Diagnostic Solutions for their Neospora hughesi SAG 1 ELISA.
The Eastern Encephalitis IgM ELISA must be run in conjunction with EEE PCR to increase diagnosis of this viral disease. The sensitivity of these diagnostics can vary throughout the course of disease; therefore, it is necessary to run both tests together.
Anaplasma phagocytophilum may be a differential in neurologic horses. Consider adding the Anaplasma phagocytophilum PCR (EHRE) on EDTA whole blood.
**Equine neurologic signs can be attributed to primary hepatic and gastrointestinal disease resulting in hyperammonemia or primary renal disease resulting in uremic encephalopathy.
Equine Pasture Pregnancy Panel
Panel Code: EQPREG
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Estrone Sulfate Estrone sulfate for greater than 90 days pregnant; PMSG for 45-100 days pregnant; Progesterone for less than 60 days pregnant. | E1S |
|
| Pregnant Mare Serum Gonadotropin Estrone sulfate for greater than 90 days pregnant; PMSG for 45-100 days pregnant; Progesterone for less than 60 days pregnant. | PMSG |
|
| Progesterone - RIA - Equine Estrone sulfate for greater than 90 days pregnant; PMSG for 45-100 days pregnant; Progesterone for less than 60 days pregnant. | PRE |
|
Notes
Ship chilled.
Estrone sulfate for greater than 90 days pregnant; PMSG for 45-100 days pregnant; Progesterone for less than 60 days pregnant. See Equine Female Reproductive Testing for more information.
Equine Pre-purchase Exam Diagnostic Plan
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Equine Arteritis Virus (EAV) SN If stallion, add EVASN | EVASN |
|
| Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) Virus c-ELISA | EIAEL |
|
| Fecal Floatation | FLOAT |
|
| Hemogram, Large Animal | LA CBC |
|
| Large Animal Chemistry | LA P |
|
Equine Drug Screen Level 1 or Equine Drug Screen Level 2 |
|
Notes
Ship chilled. Slides should be kept at room temperature.
Need to include appropriate paperwork for Coggins. Do not use gel clot activated tubes (SST).
If stallion, add Equine Arteritis Virus (EAV) SN on serum. If stallion is known EVA positive, may want to consider Equine Arteritis Virus (EAV) semen isolation (OIE) on semen. Contact lab prior to semen collection.
‡ If serum sample is more than 5 days old an EIA AGID will be substituted for the EIA c-ELISA.
Equine Respiratory PCR Panel
Panel Code: ERPNL
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Equine Adenovirus 1 PCR | EAD1 |
|
| Equine Adenovirus 2 PCR | EAD2 |
|
| Equine Arteritis Virus PCR | EAR |
|
| Equine Herpesvirus 4 PCR | EHV4PCR |
|
| Equine Herpesvirus-1 PCR | EHV1PCR |
|
| Equine Rhinitis Virus A PCR | ERHA |
|
| Equine Rhinitis Virus B PCR | ERHB |
|
| Influenza Virus Matrix PCR | IVMPCR |
|
| Streptococcus equi PCR | SEQUPCR |
|
Notes
Blood specimens submitted with respiratory samples will be tested for EHVPNL (both EHV-1 and EHV-4) and additional fees will be applied.
Equine Respiratory Serology Diagnostic Plan
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Equine Adenovirus (EAD) SN | EADSN |
|
| Equine Arteritis Virus (EAV) SN | EVASN |
|
| Equine Herpesvirus-1 (Rhinopneumonitis) SN | EHV1SN |
|
| Equine Herpesvirus-4 SN | EHV4SN |
|
| Equine Influenza Virus (EIV) HAI | EIVHAI |
|
| Equine Rhinovirus-1 (ER-A) (Equine Rhinitis A Virus) SN | ERAVSN |
|
| Equine Rhinovirus-2 (Equine Rhinitis B Virus) SN | ERBVSN |
|
Notes
When acute and convalescent samples are/will be collected, for most serology assays they should always be tested in parallel, and paired results interpreted. If acute samples are submitted alone please indicated if all tests should be performed. If second, convalescent samples are later submitted, tests on both samples will be run in parallel and fees for both samples will be charged. To avoid testing acute samples twice, hold and submit with convalescent samples. If convalescent samples will not be collected, or when infectious abortion is strongly suspected due to history, immediate testing of acute sample may be warranted.
Equine Respiratory, Adult (Acute) Diagnostic Plan
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Aerobic Bacterial Culture | AER |
|
| Anaerobic Bacterial Culture | ANAER |
|
| Equine Herpesvirus PCR Panel | EHVPNL |
|
Equine Respiratory PCR Panel *Panel consists of multiple PCR assays: Equine Herpesviruses 1 and 4, Equine Adenoviruses 1 and 2, Equine Rhinitis viruses A and B, Influenza A virus (matrix), Equine arteritis virus and Streptococcus equi equi | ERPNL |
|
| Fungal Culture | FUNGCM |
|
| Selenium, whole blood | SEL |
|
| Streptococcus equi Culture | SEQUCUL |
|
| Tracheal Wash Cytology | TWE |
|
Notes
Ship chilled. It may be helpful to collect and bank a serum sample for possible acute and convalescent serology.
† This PCR panel tests for equine herpesvirus 1 and 4, equine adenoviruses 1 and 2, equine rhinitis viruses A and B, influenza A virus (matrix) and streptococcus equi. All tests included in this panel are also available individually and expedited results (STAT) are also available upon request for an additional fee. This panel does not include other bacterial respiratory pathogens which would require a transtracheal wash (TTW) or bronchial alveolar lavage (BAL). See chronic respiratory panel below.
†† To maximize sensitivity, it is recommended that BOTH a streptococcus equi PCR (included in the PCR panel) and a streptococcus equi culture be run in parallel (requiring BOTH a nasal swab in a red top tube with 0.5mL of sterile saline and a nasal swab in bacterial transport media).
Equine Respiratory, Adult (Chronic) Diagnostic Plan
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Aerobic Bacterial Culture | AER |
|
| Anaerobic Bacterial Culture | ANAER |
|
| Bronchoalveolar Lavage Count Cytology (smear exam and counts) | BALE |
|
| Equine Herpesvirus 5 qPCR | EHV5PCR |
|
| Fungal Culture | FUNGCM |
|
| Selenium, whole blood | SEL |
|
| Tracheal Wash Cytology | TWE |
|
Notes
Ship chilled except for Port-a-cul and slides which should be at room temperature for anaerobes.
See Transtracheal Wash Procedure for more information. [Nasal or pharyngeal swabs are only appropriate for virus isolation and PCR. Submit in viral transport media or a red top tube with a 0.5 ml sterile saline for virus isolation and PCR.]
Equine Respiratory, Foal Diagnostic Plan
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Aerobic Bacterial Culture Rhodococcus equi included | AER |
|
| Anaerobic Bacterial Culture | ANAER |
|
| Equine Respiratory PCR Panel | ERPNL |
|
| Fecal Floatation | FLOAT |
|
| Fibrinogen (heat-precipitation) | FIB-SCH |
|
| Fungal Culture | FUNGCM |
|
| Hemogram, Large Animal | LA CBC |
|
| Immunoglobulin G, Equine - TIA | EQUINE IGG |
|
| Large Animal Chemistry | LA P |
|
| Rhodococcus equi virulence PCR | REQUPCR |
|
| Selenium, whole blood | SEL |
|
| Tracheal Wash Cytology | TWE |
|
Notes
Ship chilled except for slides which should be at room temperature.
See Transtracheal Wash Procedure for more information. [Nasal or pharyngeal swabs are only appropriate for virus isolation and PCR. Submit in viral transport media or a red top tube with a 0.5 ml sterile saline for virus isolation and PCR.]
†This PCR panel tests for equine herpesvirus 1 and 4, equine adenoviruses 1 and 2, equine rhinitis viruses A and B, influenza A virus (matrix) and streptococcus equi. All tests included in this panel are also available individually and expedited results (STAT) are also available upon request.
§ Rhodococcus equi virulence PCR has only been validated on TTW samples and nasal swabs will be rejected.
Equine Vaccine Titer Plan
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus Plaque Reduction Serum Neutralization | EEEPRSN |
|
| EHV-1 Risk Evaluation | EHV1PSP |
|
| Equine Herpesvirus 4 SN | EHV4SN |
|
| Equine Influenza Virus (EIV) HAI | EIVHAI |
|
| Equine Rhinitis A Virus SN | ERAVSN |
|
| Equine Rhinitis B Virus SN | ERBVSN |
|
| Lyme Disease, Equine Multiplex Assay | EQLM |
|
| Potomac Horse Fever (PHF) IFA | PHF |
|
| West Nile Virus (WNV) IgG/IgM Capture ELISA Combination | WNELPL |
|
Notes
Ship chilled.
EHV-1 SN (Rhinopneumonitis) EHV1SN is also available.
‡ Protective vaccine-induced titers for the various equine diseases have generally not been established. It may be desirable to obtain baseline post-vaccination titers in animals so that later titer testing can be interpreted in light of an animal’s known response to vaccination.
Please note that additional referral diagnostics to consider with this plan may include Equine encephalomyelitis PRNT Panel (EEE, WEE, VEE), Rabies Titer and Streptococcus equi ELISA. Visit our referral testing web page for referral lab contact information. Please contact the AHDC Veterinary Support Services team with any questions (vetsupport@cornell.edu, 607.253.3900).
Equine Wellness Profile Adult/Performance
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) Virus c-ELISA | EIAEL |
|
| Fecal Floatation | FLOAT |
|
| Hemogram, Large Animal | LA CBC |
|
| Large Animal Chemistry | LA P |
|
| Selenium, whole blood | SEL |
|
| Serum Amyloid A | SAA VET |
|
| Vitamin E in serum | NDIK |
|
Notes
Ship chilled. Need to include appropriate paperwork for Coggins.
‡ If serum sample is more than 5 days old an EIA AGID will be substituted for the EIA c-ELISA.
Equine Wellness, Newborn Foal (0-48 hours)
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Hemogram, Large Animal | LA CBC |
|
| Immunoglobulin G, Equine - TIA | EQUINE IGG |
|
| Serum Amyloid A | SAA VET |
|
Notes
Ship chilled except for slides which should be kept at room temperature.
IgG results available within the same day.
Large Animal Renal Panel
Plan Code: LARGE RENAL
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Albumin | ALB |
|
| Anion Gap |
| |
| Calcium | CA |
|
| Chloride | CL |
|
| Creatinine | CREAT |
|
| Phosphate (Phosphorus) | P |
|
| Potassium | K |
|
| Sodium | NA |
|
| Urea Nitrogen | BUN |
|
Notes
Ship chilled.