Topic:Abdominal
Research in the abdominal health and conditions category examines digestive physiology, gastrointestinal disorders, and treatment protocols in horses. This page compiles peer-reviewed studies and journal articles on the pathophysiology of common digestive issues, diagnostic techniques for conditions like colic and gastric ulcers, and evaluations of various treatment strategies.
Cloning, sequencing and functional expression of zebra (Equus burchelli) LH. Although donkey luteinizing hormone exhibits a very high degree of amino acid sequence identity with horse LH, its FSH activity in non-equine species is tenfold lower. The coding regions of the common zebra (Equus burchelli) glycoprotein hormone alpha-subunit and LH beta-subunit transcripts were cloned by reverse transcription-PCR from pituitary gland RNA to investigate more precisely the structure-function relationships of this gonadotrophin family. Zebra LH was then expressed in COS-7 cells and its LH and FSH activities were assessed in a rat Leydig cell bioassay (for LH) and in a cell line ...
Thoracic and abdominal blastomycosis in a horse. A 5-year-old Quarter Horse mare was examined because of lethargy, fever, and weight loss of 1 month's duration. Thoracic auscultation revealed decreased lung sounds cranioventrally. Thoracic ultrasonography revealed bilateral anechoic areas with hyperechoic strands, consistent with pleural effusion and fibrin tags. A large amount of free fluid was evident during abdominal ultrasonography. Abnormalities included anemia, hyperproteinemia, hyperglobulinemia, hyperfibrinogenemia, and hypoalbuminemia. Thoracic radiography revealed alveolar infiltrates in the cranial and caudoventral lung fields. A ...
Perioperative plasma cortisol concentration in the horse. The cortisol response to anaesthesia and surgery was studied in 2 groups of horses undergoing either abdominal or non-abdominal surgery. The preoperative mean plasma cortisol concentration (pcc) of 381.7 nmol/l (s.d. 254.7) was markedly higher in the abdominal group than the early-morning mean pcc of 115.6 nmol/l (s.d. 78.4) in the non-abdominal group. During halothane anaesthesia and surgery the mean pcc increased significantly (p < 0.05) from the preoperative mean of 119.2 to 215.9 nmol/l (s.d. 79.8) after 30 min of surgery in the non-abdominal group. In the abdominal group a decrease occ...
Incarceration of the small colon through a rent in the gastrosplenic ligament in a pony. A 10-year-old castrated male pony was examined for intermittent signs of abdominal pain of 3 days' duration. An incarceration of the small colon through a rent in the gastrosplenic ligament was found. Resection and end-to-end anastomosis were performed on the affected portion of the small colon. The pony recovered and returned to its previous degree of activity. Incarceration of the small intestine and large colon through rents in the gastrosplenic ligament are documented, although involvement of the small intestine is more common. To the best of our knowledge, incarceration of the small colon...
Abdominal neoplasia (excluding urogenital tract). Neoplasia of the equine gastrointestinal tract and abdominal organs occurs predominantly in geriatric horses, although lymphoma and hepatocellular carcinoma and a few other neoplasms can be found in young horses. This article discusses diagnostics that can be used in weight-loss situations, suspicious of neoplasia, as well as tumors themselves including clinical signs, diagnostic tools, histopathologic appearance, and management.
Gonadotrophin profiles and dioestrous pulsatile release patterns in mares as determined by collection of jugular blood at 4 h intervals throughout an oestrous cycle. In mares, dioestrous FSH profiles based on once-a-day sampling are variable; however, the pulsatility of plasma FSH, which has been suggested by limited windows of intensive sampling, may contribute to this variability. Jugular blood from six mares was sampled at 4 h intervals throughout an ovulatory cycle to determine cyclic FSH and LH patterns more accurately and to measure gonadotrophin pulse frequency during dioestrus. Synchronous pulses of FSH and LH occurred regularly in all mares between day 4 and day 12 (ovulation = day 0) with a mean (+/- SEM) frequency of 1.9 +/- 0.1 (FSH) or 1.6 +/-...
The effect of dietary protein on reproduction in the mare. V. Endocrine changes and conception during the early post partum period. Pregnant Anglo-Arab and Thoroughbred mares (n = 24) were divided randomly according to age and breed into 4 groups of 6 mares each from approximately 6 weeks before their expected foaling date. Diets received by the 4 groups varied in essential amino-acid and total protein contents. Serum progestagen, FSH and LH concentrations were determined from the day of parturition until foal heat and during the 1st oestrous cycle following foal heat. Serum progestagen, FSH and LH concentrations did not differ between the treatment groups. Progestagen concentrations were high (mean = 7.0: 5.2-16.4 ng/ml) ...
Surgical reduction of ileal impactions in the horse: 28 cases. To evaluate the seasonal influence, signalment, type of hay consumed, clinical examination findings, and outcome after surgery for horses with ileal impaction. Methods: A retrospective study. Results: Between 1988 and 1993, 28 horses had surgical correction of ileal impaction. There was a significantly higher rate of ileal impaction during the Fall (September-November, P = .0041 ). Mean duration of clinical signs of abdominal pain before referral was 15 hours. Transrectal palpation was used to localize the impaction in 11 horses. The ileal impaction was reduced by extraluminal massage aided by...
Inhibin secretion in the mare: localization of inhibin alpha, betaA, and betaB subunits in the ovary. To determine the source of circulating inhibin and estradiol-17beta during the estrous cycle in mares, the cellular localization of the inhibin alpha, betaA, and betaB subunits and aromatase in the ovary was determined by immunohistochemistry. Concentrations of immunoreactive (ir-) inhibin, estradiol-17beta, progesterone, LH, and FSH in peripheral blood were also measured during the estrous cycle in mares. Immunohistochemically, inhibin alpha subunits were localized in the granulosa cells of small and large follicles and in the theca interna cells of large follicles, whereas inhibin betaA and ...
Laparoscopic diagnosis of subcapsular splenic hematoma in a horse. A 5-year-old Quarter Horse was examined after it developed signs of abdominal discomfort as a result of a training accident. Oral mucous membranes were pale, and capillary refill time was > 3 seconds. Hematologically, the PCV was low, and abdominocentesis yielded a serosanguineous fluid. Abdominal ultrasonography was performed and revealed a large hypoechoic mass associated with the cranial margin of the spleen. Because differentiation between subcapsular hematoma and extracapsular hematoma could not be made with certainty, further evaluation of the spleen was indicated. Abdominal laparosco...
Gonadotropin response to naloxone in the mare: effect of time of year and reproductive status. In the mare, endogenous opioids have been implicated in the suppression of gonadotropin secretion during seasonal anestrus (AN). The present study tested whether continuation of reproductive activity during the nonbreeding season (NBS) reflects the absence of a seasonal shift in opioid tone compared to what occurs in AN mares. During the NBS, 11 AN and 8 luteal-phase mares received 0.1, 0.05, 0. 025 mg/kg naloxone (NAL) or vehicle on alternate days. Whereas cycling mares responded to all dosages of NAL, AN mares responded only to the higher dosages for FSH, and LH failed to increase at any dos...
Equine chorionic gonadotropin regulates luteal steroidogenesis in pregnant mares. The onset of eCG secretion in pregnant mares coincides with an increase in luteal steroid production and a relative shift toward androgen and estrogen synthesis. However, a cause-effect relationship between eCG and the shift in luteal steroidogenesis has not been demonstrated. In this study, we have investigated the effect of eCG on steroid production by the corpus luteum (CL) during equine pregnancy. All mares were supplemented with 44 mg altrenogest (a progestogen) per day on Days 18-50. Increasing doses of eCG were administered on Days 26-28, before the onset of endogenous eCG secretion, to...
Reliability of using results of abdominal fluid analysis to determine treatment and predict lesion type and outcome for horses with colic: 218 cases (1991-1994). To assess clinical utility of abdominal fluid analysis in predicting outcome, lesion type, and whether medical or surgical treatment is indicated for horses with colic. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 218 horses > 1 year old. Methods: Horses were classified on the basis of age, site of lesion, lesion type (nonstrangulating vs strangulating), type of treatment (medical vs surgical), and outcome (survival vs nonsurvival). Sensitivity and specificity of using age and results of abdominal fluid analysis, individually and in combination, to predict lesion type, type of treatment, and outc...
Cytology of 100 samples of abdominal fluid from 100 horses with abdominal disease. A total of 100 samples of abdominal fluid (AF) from 100 horses with abdominal disease were evaluated by cytology. Cytology results were subsequently correlated with the final outcome of the disease. The horses were classified into 4 groups: Group I, horses that were treated with conventional (nonsurgical) therapy and recovered; Group II, horses that had surgery and survived; Group III, horses that had surgery but died; and Group IV, horses that were subjected to euthanasia prior to surgery. Statistical analysis showed that both nucleated cell count and total neutrophils were significantly high...
Testicular inhibin in the stallion: cellular source and seasonal changes in its secretion. The cellular localization of inhibin alpha, betaA, and betaB subunits, 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3beta-HSD), and cytochrome P450 aromatase (aromatase) in stallion testes was investigated. In addition, detailed seasonal changes in circulating immunoreactive (ir)-inhibin were investigated in correlation with testosterone, estradiol, LH, and FSH. Inhibin alpha subunit-positive staining was observed in Sertoli cells, and more clearly positive staining was noted in Leydig cells. Inhibin betaA and betaB subunits were also stained in both types of cells. Immunoreactivity of 3beta-HSD and ar...
Timing of in vivo maturation of equine preovulatory oocytes and competence for in vitro maturation of immature oocytes collected simultaneously. The objects of this study were to monitor the development of the cumulus complex and nuclear maturation in oocytes recovered from preovulatory follicles following treatment to induce ovulation and to investigate the in vitro maturation competence of oocytes recovered from smaller nonpreovulatory follicles of varying size. All follicles > or =5 mm in pony mares were individually punctured at 0, 6, 12, 24 and 35 h after an injection of LH to induce ovulation. The recovery rates of oocytes were 64% from 55 preovulatory follicles, 22% from 32 subordinate follicles and 52% from 227 small follicl...
The effect of dietary protein on reproduction in the mare. IV. Serum progestagen, FSH, LH and melatonin concentrations during the anovulatory, transitional and ovulatory periods in the non-pregnant mare. The effect of total protein intake and protein quality on the serum concentrations of certain reproductive hormones during the anovulatory, transitional and ovulatory periods were studied in 36 Anglo-Arab mares. High-quality protein stimulated FSH and LH production during the late transitional period. Serum progestagen and melatonin concentrations were unaffected by the quality of protein nutrition during the anovulatory period. Mares receiving high-quality protein exhibited a 10-14-day cyclical pattern of FSH release approximately 4-6 weeks earlier than the mares fed the lower-quality protein...
Cardiopulmonary changes associated with abdominal insufflation of carbon dioxide in mechanically ventilated, dorsally recumbent, halothane anaesthetised horses. The use of laparoscopy for the diagnosis or therapeutic management of abdominal disease in the horse has distinct advantages when it allows the horse to remain standing. However, distending the abdomen by insufflation of a biologically active gas in an anaesthetised horse may add to the physiological challenge of general anaesthesia and recumbency. The cardiopulmonary responses to abdominal insufflation with carbon dioxide (CO2) to 15 mmHg pressure were evaluated in 6 horses in dorsal recumbency anaesthetised with halothane in oxygen and subjected to laparoscopic colopexy. Vaporiser settings t...
Gonadal and pituitary responsiveness of stallions is not down-regulated by prolonged pulsatile administration of GnRH. The objective of this study was to determine if prolonged pulsatile administration of homologous gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) at therapeutic or 5x therapeutic doses would cause down-regulation of the stallion's hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis. Fifteen stallions were randomly assigned to three treatment groups (n=5/group) and received a 0.5 ml subcutaneous dose of saline (group 1), 50 microg GnRH (group 2), or 250 microg GnRH (group 3) every 2 hours for 75 days. Weekly evaluations of follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and testosterone and monthly evaluations of d...
Immunocytochemical localization of luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone in the equine pituitary. Gonadotropin-specific primary antisera and gold-conjugated secondary antibodies were used to immunocytochemically localize gonadotropins in the anterior pituitary of intact pony mares. Electron microscopy was then used to characterize the ultrastructure and immunoreactive staining characteristics of equine gonadotropes. Cells containing LH were morphologically indistinguishable from those containing FSH. Gonadotropes were relatively large and commonly had eccentric nuclei. The rough endoplasmic reticulum was well developed and dilated. Secretory granules were present in two morphologically dis...
Inhibin secretion in the stallion. To examine the physiological role of inhibin in the stallion, a heterologous radioimmunoassay (RIA) based on a bovine RIA was validated and used to measure immunoreactive (ir)-inhibin concentrations in plasma and testicular homogenates. The bioactivity of equine testicular inhibin was also examined using an assay for suppression of FSH secretion from rat anterior pituitary cells. In addition, to identify the cell responsible for secreting testicular inhibin, the localisation of inhibin in the testis was investigated by an immunohistochemical method using a polyclonal antibody against (Tyr30)-p...
[Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) in horses: a literature review]. The use of dimethyl sulphoxide in equine medicine is discussed with special reference to trauma of the central nervous system, chronic endometritis, trauma of the locomotor apparatus, and ischaemic bowel pathophysiology. The ability of dimethyl sulphoxide to reduce connective tissue formation might be of interest in abdominal surgery. The anti-inflammatory effect of dimethyl sulphoxide is used in the treatment of muscle trauma, tendinitis, laminitis, and arthritis. Dimethyl sulphoxide can potentiate the effects of other drugs. The most common dose is 1 g/kg body weight intravenously up to a 40...
Laparoscopic intra-abdominal ligation and removal of cryptorchid testes in horses. Laparoscopic intra-abdominal ligation and removal of cryptorchid testes in horses was evaluated retrospectively in 50 horses that underwent the procedure between 1991 and 1996. Sixty-one cryptorchid testes were removed by one of the following methods; the use of 1) an endoscoping stapling and transection device, 2) an endoscopic clipping device, 3) an endoscopic ligating loop. Monopolar electrosurgery was combined with these methods to facilitate coagulation and cutting of tissue. In 8 horses, 9 testes were retained between the internal and external inguinal rings. The inguinal testes were rem...
Effects of age, season, and fertility status on plasma and intratesticular immunoreactive (IR) inhibin concentrations in stallions. The nature of the relationship between inhibin and reproductive function in the stallion is yet to be elucidated. Blood and testes from 51 light horse stallions ranging in age from 2 mo to 25 years were collected during the breeding and nonbreeding seasons to study the effects of testicular maturation, aging, season, and fertility status on peripheral and intratesticular concentrations of Ir inhibin and other reproductive hormones. Of the 51 stallions, 12 age-matched stallions (6 fertile, 3 subfertile, and 3 infertile) were used in the fertility study. Blood samples were taken before castratio...
Use of laparoscopic equipment to divide abdominal adhesions in a filly. Exploratory laparoscopy of the right dorsal portion of the abdominal cavity was performed on a Standardbred filly because of signs of mild abdominal pain of 7 days' duration. On the basis of clinical examination, diagnosis was suppurative peritonitis, abdominal adhesions in the area of the right ovary, and right displacement and impaction of the pelvic flexure of the ascending colon. During laparoscopy, an abdominal adhesion between the right uterine horn, the cecum, and the pelvic flexure was identified. The abdominal adhesions were either stretched with laparoscopic forceps used as a probe o...
A modified technique for extensive large colon resection and anastomosis in horses. To describe an alternative technique for large colon resection and anastomosis in horses. Methods: Retrospective study of clinical patients. Methods: 37 horses that had ventral midline celiotomies between July 1, 1990, and July 1, 1994. Methods: Large colon resection and anastomosis was performed using a modification of previously described techniques. Modifications include mesocolon ligation with a stapling device and an end-to-end apposition of the right ventral and right dorsal colon. Results: Twenty-one of the 37 horses were discharged from the hospital without complications. Two horses we...
Evaluation of postoperative peritoneal lavage in standing horses for prevention of experimentally induced abdominal adhesions. To evaluate the postoperative use of peritoneal lavage for prevention of experimentally induced intraabdominal adhesions in horses. Methods: Areas of serosal abrasion were created on the jejunum of 12 horses. Postoperatively, six horses had peritoneal lavage, and six horses did not (controls). The number of adhesions was determined at necropsy 2 weeks after surgery. Methods: 12 horses. Methods: Five sites of jejunal serosal abrasion were created in each horse. A 32 French thoracic catheter was placed into the right ventral aspect of the abdomen before closure of the abdominal incision. Treated...
Ventral abdominal approach for laparoscopic cryptorchidectomy in horses. To report a ventral abdominal approach and a ligating loop technique for laparoscopic cryptorchidectomy in horses. Methods: Prospective. Methods: Six horses, aged 1 to 5 years, with retained testes. Methods: One laparoscopic portal and three to four instrument portals were used for ventral abdominal laparoscopic cryptorchidectomy. Laparoscopic instruments were used to maneuver and secure the testis through a ligating loop (modified Roeder knot) that was secured from outside the abdominal cavity. Only minimal enlargement of one instrument portal was used to remove the testicle. Results: Three h...
Effect of omentectomy on adhesion formation in horses. To determine if omentectomy would decrease the frequency of postoperative intraabdominal adhesions. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 44 horses that had either two ventral median celiotomies or a ventral median celiotomy and a necropsy more than 4 days later; 19 of these horses had their omentum removed at the initial surgery. Methods: Data retrieved from the records included location and type of intraabdominal adhesions; location of the surgical lesion; relationship of adhesions to the surgical lesion; surgical procedures; duration of initial surgery; time interval between procedures; ag...
Immunocytochemical differences in adenohypophyseal cells among adult Mongolian pony mares, stallions, and geldings. To analyze the sex difference in 6 kinds of adenohypophyseal cells of Mongolian ponies and the effect of prepubertal orchidectomy on adenohypophyseal cells. Methods: Pituitary glands collected from 15 adult Mongolian ponies, 5 to 10 years old: 5 stallions, 5 mares, and 5 geldings, orchidectomized between the ages of 1 and 2 years. Methods: Morphologic comparison of 6 kinds of adenohypophyseal cells among mares, stallions, and geldings was done, using immunocytochemistry and morphometry. Results: A sex difference was evident in the percentage of somatotrophs, gonadotrophs (follicle-stimulating ...