Equine ​Diagnostics & Exams​


Every answer begins with the right question. At Vital Equine, diagnostics are the foundation — the careful, methodical work of listening to what your horse's body is already saying, bridging the precision of traditional veterinary medicine with the depth of holistic evaluation.
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Western & Traditional Veterinary Diagnostics

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  • Traditional Physical Exam – A comprehensive, hands-on assessment of your horse’s overall health. It includes measuring vital signs—such as temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, mucous membrane color, and capillary refill time—along with evaluating general appearance, body condition, hydration status, and demeanor. The exam also involves inspecting the eyes, ears, mouth, skin, and hooves; listening to the heart, lungs, and gastrointestinal tract; and palpating limbs and accessible lymph nodes to identify abnormalities or concerns.
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  • Standard Blood Panel – General health, pediatrics, geriatrics, and routine wellness. A Complete Blood Count (CBC) and Chemistry (Chem) Panel is a screening assessment for a wide range of health issues in veterinary medicine, including anemia, infection, inflammation, and organ function (liver, kidneys). It may also check for blood clotting ability, hydration status, and electrolyte levels, providing a comprehensive overview of an animals overall health and may help identify concerns earlier in the course of disease. 
  
  • Fecal Testing – Helps detect parasites and possible causes of diarrhea.
 
  • Urinalysis & Culture – Detects urinary tract infections and other urinary concerns.
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  • Fine Needle Aspirates & Biopsies – Used to get a sample of cells for analysis, which can then lead to a diagnosis of benign growths, cancers, or infections.
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  • Aerobic and Anaerobic Bacterial Cultures –  Helps diagnose a bacterial infection.
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  • Fungal Cultures – Helps diagnose a fungal infection.
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  • Pre- and Post-Operative Blood Work – Case management for surgical procedures.
 
  • Cushing’s Disease – ACTH Testing, Pre & Post Stimulation ACTH Available.
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  • Thyroid Panel – Hypothyroidism/Hyperthyroidism assessment
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  • Insulin & Leptin Panels – Assessment and diagnosis of metabolic disorders.
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  • Equine Granulosa Cell Tumor Panel (GCT)  – Tests for ovarian tumor markers and hormone abnormalities.
 
  • Cryptorchid Panel – Helps detect the presence of testicular tissue in animals with an unclear castration history.
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  • Infectious Disease Panels & PCR Testing – helpful with diagnosing exposure to Neurological, Respiratory and Diarrheal infectious diseases.
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  • Equine Lyme Multiplex Assay – detects antibodies to outer surface proteins (Osp) of the B. burgdorferi bacterium to determine the stage of Lyme disease infection. It can help distinguish between an acute infection, a chronic infection, or antibodies from a vaccine.
 
  • Leptospirosis MAT – Detects antibodies to specific Leptospira interrogans serovars in a horse's serum, which helps diagnose a past or current infection.
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  • Vaccine Titer Testing –  Measures a horse's immune response to infection or vaccination and can provide information on past exposure, response to treatment, or risk of future illness.
 
  • Equine Genetic Disease Testing –  Exhaustive list available upon request.
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  • Saliva Testing for Food Allergies – Used as an adjunctive screening tool. Interpretation and clinical relevance may vary.
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  • Vitamin D, Vitamin E, and Selenium Testing
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  • Cancer & Inflammatory Marker Blood Testing (TK1, HPT)
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  • Toxicity Testing –  Fungal, Algae, Plant Toxicities, Mycotoxins, Nutrition and More.
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  • Glyphosate Toxicity Testing  –  Helps detect the presence of glyphosate and sometimes its metabolite, AMPA ( Aminomethylphosphonic acid), found in herbicides and food.
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​        …And More, Based on Individual Patient Needs. ​​​


​Holistic & Complementary Exams


  • Traditional Chinese Veterinary Exam – Evaluates overall body function and patterns to complement standard veterinary evaluation. Helps identify subtle imbalances that may not appear in physical exams or diagnostics.

  • Acupuncture Evaluation for Lameness – Supports nervous system communication and muscular balance to complement other veterinary care.
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  • Veterinary Chiropractic Exam – Assesses joint mobility, posture, and spinal alignment to support functional movement.
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  • Hair Mineral Analysis – Evaluates mineral status and potential heavy metal exposure, supporting individualized nutritional planning.
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