Topic:Hemorrhage
Hemorrhage in horses refers to the escape of blood from blood vessels into surrounding tissues or outside the body, which can occur due to trauma, surgical procedures, or underlying health conditions. It presents in various forms, such as internal bleeding, external bleeding, or bleeding into body cavities. Hemorrhage can affect different systems within the horse, including the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and musculoskeletal systems, depending on the location and severity of the bleeding. The management of hemorrhage involves identifying the source of bleeding, controlling blood loss, and providing supportive care to maintain the horse's physiological stability. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the causes, mechanisms, and management strategies of hemorrhage in equine medicine.
Hematuria caused by abdominal abscessation in a foal. A 4.5-month-old Standard-bred filly was referred for evaluation of pigmenturia. Initially, the pigmenturia had resolved with the administration of antibiotics, only to recur after their withdrawal. A dark red urine sample contained numerous RBC, WBC, and gram-negative rods (Escherichia coli). Ultrasonography revealed the right kidney to be large, with multiple cystic structures and a dilated renal pelvis and calices. Cystoscopy revealed a large blood clot within the bladder and urine coming from the left ureteral opening. Urine was not observed coming from the right ureter. It was suspected th...
Preputial hematoma in a stallion. An 8-year-old Quarter Horse stallion was admitted with a swelling involving the prepuce, dorsal part of the scrotum, and root of the penis. The swelling was first noticed 10 days after breeding, with no evidence that it had resulted from a kick by the mare. The penis was retracted into the prepuce, except for a 10- to 15-cm protrusion of the glans penis. Treatment included warm hydrotherapy, massage, stockinette compression, antidiuretics, antibiotics, penile support, and exercise, without success. At necropsy, a massive preputial hematoma was found extending forward from the root of the penis...
Outcome of treatment in 35 cases of guttural pouch mycosis. This paper describes the outcome of treatment of 30 cases of guttural pouch mycosis by ligation of the internal carotid artery on the cardiac side of the lesion and lavage of the affected pouch with natamycin. Twenty-three horses recovered fully following this treatment while laryngeal hemiplegia persisted in one case and slight dysphagia caused by pharyngeal hemiplegia in another. The remaining five horses died or were destroyed. Five horses with guttural pouch mycosis, which had shown no epistaxis but had pharyngeal hemiplegia, were treated by topical natamycin alone. Only two of these survi...
Exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage in the horse: results of a detailed clinical, post mortem and imaging study. V. Microscopic observations. Lungs from 19 Thoroughbred racehorses with a history of exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH) were studied using several forms of microscopy. Light microscopy of paraffin sections revealed three lesions in the caudodorsal region of the lungs from each horse. These correspond with the location of blue to brown stains seen at necropsy. These lesions include sequelae of bronchiolitis, hemosiderophages and increased connective tissue. Much of each of the lungs appeared normal, especially the more cranial or ventral portions. Foci of eosinophil infiltration were found in seven of the 19 lun...
Exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage in the horse: results of a detailed clinical, post mortem and imaging study. VIII. Conclusions and implications. This paper reviews a series of clinical, post mortem and imaging studies on exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH) performed on 26 Thoroughbred racehorses. Post mortem techniques included routine gross, subgross and histological examination; coloured latex perfusions of pulmonary and bronchial circulations; and microradiography and computerised tomography scans of lungs with contrast injected vasculature. The major lesions were multiple, separate and coalescing foci of moderately proliferative small airway disease accompanied by intense neovascularisation of the bronchial circulation. A...
Exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage in the horse: results of a detailed clinical, post mortem and imaging study. VI. Radiological/pathological correlations. This study was initiated to determine if the extent and intensity of lung lesions associated with exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH) in horses could be predicted from thoracic radiographs. Sets of thoracic radiographs from 24 horses with varied histories of EIPH were subjectively coded for radiographic quality, and perceived extent and intensity of diffuse interstitial opacity by three radiologists who had no knowledge of the corresponding autopsy results. Codes assigned from radiographs for the chosen parameters were compared with coded estimates of lung surface staining assigned a...
Exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage in the horse: results of a detailed clinical, post mortem and imaging study. III. Subgross findings in lungs subjected to latex perfusions of the bronchial and pulmonary arteries. Latex was injected under pressure into bronchial and pulmonary arteries of the inflated lungs of Thoroughbreds and transverse sections taken to calculate the area of lesions resulting from exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage. Extensive areas of dense brown haemosiderin varying from 0 to 45 per cent of total lung volume were identified, predominantly in the dorsocaudal lungfields. Bronchial arterial proliferation appeared to have replaced the pulmonary supply in affected areas of the lung. Closely associated with the staining and bronchial arterialisation, there was widespread small airway d...
Exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage in the horse: results of a detailed clinical, post mortem and imaging study. I. Clinical profile of horses. Detailed physical and clinical examinations were performed on 26 Thoroughbred racehorses which were used subsequently in a series of studies to investigate the contribution of the pulmonary and bronchial arterial circulations to the pathophysiology of exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH). Twenty-five of the horses had been retired from race training in Hong Kong during the 1984-85 season, all but four raced that season; one horse had been retired the previous season. The average number of races for the group that season was 4.1 +/- 2 with an average distance of 1502 +/- 216 metres, me...
Exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage in the horse: results of a detailed clinical, post mortem and imaging study. II. Gross lung pathology. Gross post mortem examinations were performed on the lungs of 26 Thoroughbred horses of known exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH) status. The most consistent finding was a variable degree of bilaterally symmetrical, dark discolouration of the dorsocaudal regions of the caudal lung lobes. In more severely affected lungs, the stained areas extended cranially along the dorsal surfaces of the lungs, and in some cases affected approximately one third of the lung surface. Discoloured areas of lung were denser than normal, collapsed less readily, often contained trapped air and were slow to...
Balloon-tipped catheter arterial occlusion for prevention of hemorrhage caused by guttural pouch mycosis: 13 cases (1982-1985). Epistaxis, caused by guttural pouch mycosis, was treated by balloon-tipped catheter and ligature occlusion of the involved arteries in 13 horses. In 7 horses, more than one artery was catheterized. Serious postoperative hemorrhage was prevented in all horses. Long-term endoscopic follow-up examination was possible in 8 horses, and all had complete regression of the fungal lesion as early as 5 weeks after surgery. Six of the 8 horses did not receive medical treatment. Problems related to the use of the balloon-tipped catheter technique were rare. There were incisional infections in 3 horses, ca...
Blood products in large animal medicine: a comparative account of current and future technology. THERE are indications for therapeutic uses of all portions of
whole blood in large animal patients but plasma and its isolated components have the largest number of immediate
applications. As recently as 10 years ago, whole fresh blood
was the only routinely administered blood product. However,
as even cross-match compatible erythrocytes are removed
from circulation within two to four days by the reticuloendothelial system, whole blood is a poor product for expansion of
vascular volume or supplying plasma components if the
patient has no immediate need for increased oxygen carrying
cap...
Toxigenic characteristics of Clostridium perfringens type C in enterotoxemia of domestic animals. Eleven Clostridium perfringens type C strains isolated from fatal cases of hemorrhagic enterotoxemia of Canadian calves, a piglet, and a foal were studied for the production of soluble antigens. All the isolates from calves and a foal failed to produce delta toxin, but were capable of producing large amounts of lethal beta toxin. A strain isolated from a piglet produced delta, but very little beta toxin. Other differences were relatively minor. The results indicated that young domestic animals may be susceptible to all subtypes of C. perfringens type C. A simple method of using blood agar plat...
Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia in a foal. A one-month-old Quarter Horse filly had unilateral epistaxis, hyphema, icterus, petechial hemorrhages in the oral, nasal, conjunctival, and vulvar mucous membranes, anemia, thrombocytopenia, negative antinuclear test result, and a positive direct Coombs' test result. Megakaryocytes or cell-associated IgG (fluorescent antibody and immunoperoxidase stains) were not found in bone marrow biopsy specimens. Treatment consisted of glucocorticoids, antibiotics, and a single whole blood transfusion. The foal responded well to treatment, did not develop relapses of the disease, and was clinically normal...
Hemorrhagic fibrinonecrotic duodenitis-proximal jejunitis in horses: 20 cases (1977-1984). Records of 20 horses with small intestinal disease causing acute colic and affecting the proximal portion of the small intestine were examined retrospectively. The disease was characterized by severe to moderate pain, which was replaced by depression, fever, gastric reflux, slight distention of the affected small intestine, leukocytosis, and high concentrations of total protein in the peritoneal fluid. Grossly, the affected intestines were hemorrhagic and had yellow discoloration. Histopathologic findings included submucosal edema, neutrophilic infiltration of the submucosal and laminal propri...
[The detrimental effect of iodine as an intra-uterine instillation in mares]. Fifty ml of a 0.2% iodine solution were instilled into the uteri of six mares selected for culling. Biopsy specimens were taken for microscopic examination before the commencement of the experiment and at various times over the course of a year after the single instillation. Severe oedema and haemorrhage was present in the lamina propria of all the post-instillation biopsy specimens. The epithelium showed vacuolisation and necrosis, as well as focal areas of epithelial loss. In some cases hyperplasia or metaplasia was seen. Cell infiltration was characterized by the presence of neutrophils, eo...
Electronic measurement of erythrocyte volume and volume heterogeneity in horses during erythrocyte regeneration associated with experimental anemias. Anemia was induced in three groups of horses by moderate or severe acute hemorrhage, or by acetyl phenylhydrazine-induced hemolysis (Groups I, II, and III, respectively). Serial hemograms were done on a multichannel automated blood cell counter with histogram capability. Changes in hematocrit, mean cell volume, erythrocyte number, red cell distribution width (RDW), and standard deviation of erythrocyte volume were examined over time. Significant increases in mean cell volume were first detectable by days 17, 20, and 14 and reached maximum by days 43, 41, and 29, in Groups I, II, and III, respe...
Lobular capillary haemangiomas in young horses. Seven cases of cutaneous haemangiomas in young horses are described, characterized by scattered, well demarcated but unencapsulated lobules, consisting of capillary sized vascular structures, separated by strands of fibrous tissue. In one case, a more cellular variant was distinguished with minor vasoformative capacity. The morphological features of these haemangiomas are compatible with bovine cutaneous angiomatosis and human granuloma pyogenicum. The lesions are considered to be vascular tumours rather than hamartomas or granulation tissue and "lobular capillary haemangioma" is suggested to ...
Splenic hematoma and abscess as a cause of chronic weight loss in a horse. An 8-year-old gelding with a 3-month history of anorexia and weight loss was found to have a massive subcapsular splenic hematoma. At flank laparotomy, 36 L of fluid was removed from the hematoma. The horse's condition improved after drainage. Fifteen months later, the horse became depressed and febrile. A splenic abscess containing Bacteroides ruminicola and Clostridium sporogenes was found at necropsy.
Treatment of guttural pouch mycosis. Seventeen cases of guttural pouch mycosis (including two bilaterally affected cases) were diagnosed in a three year period. The presenting signs were, in order of frequency, epistaxis at rest, nasal catarrh, pharyngeal paralysis, ipsilateral laryngeal hemiplegia, swelling of the submandibular/parotid region, extension of the head and neck and dyspnoea. Ligation of the origin of the internal carotid and occipital arteries was attempted in 10 of the cases exhibiting epistaxis. Bilateral ligation was performed on one animal with an untoward sequelae. Where surgery was successfully completed furth...
Equine laminitis caused by distal displacement of the distal phalanx: 12 cases (1976-1985). Clinical data from 12 cases of equine laminitis characterized by distal displacement of the distal phalanx (P3) were reviewed. Clinical features of horses that survived the syndrome were compared with the nonsurvivors to obtain prognostic indicators. Animals affected included 8 Quarter Horses, 2 Welsh ponies, 1 Thoroughbred, and 1 Arabian. Eight of the animals were females (67%), 2 were stallions, and 2 were geldings. The mean age of affected animals was 8.6 years (2 to 14 years), and the mean body weight was 442 kg. The survivors weighed less than the nonsurvivors (384 kg vs 473 kg, respectiv...
Rupture of an aortic sinus aneurysm in a 15-year-old broodmare. A 15-year-old, Standardbred broodmare with an aortic sinus aneurysm developed rupture of the aneurysm with subsequent rupture of a tricuspid valve chorda tendinae, tricuspid regurgitation, acute right-sided congestive heart failure, and pulmonary thromboembolism. Shunting of blood from the aorta through the ruptured aneurysm into the right ventricle resulted in decreased renal perfusion and acute renal failure. Initially, treatment of the mare with analgesics, fluids, and digoxin resulted in clinical improvement, but the mare's condition deteriorated after 8 days and the mare was euthanatized ...
Incidence, diagnosis and treatment of postoperative complications in colic cases. A survey of 259 surgical colic cases revealed that over 50 per cent of fatalities occurred in the postoperative period. Postoperative ileus and circulatory/endotoxaemic shock accounted for 70 per cent of these deaths. Other less important complications were salmonellosis, long bone fracture, adhesions, haemorrhage, laminitis, wound infection and ischaemic muscle damage. Close monitoring of postoperative progress is necessary to enable early diagnosis and treatment. Recent developments in understanding of the pathophysiology of endotoxic shock and ileus may lead to more successful treatment reg...
Sex variation in the prevalence of exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage in racing quarter horses. Post race endoscopy was carried out on 255 two-year-old quarter horses and exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH) was diagnosed in 166 (65 per cent) of them. Visible epistaxis was seen in a higher proportion of geldings than in either mares or stallions. The prevalence of EIPH was similar in mares (73 per cent) and in geldings (74 per cent). A significantly lower prevalence (49 per cent) was noted in stallions (P less than 0.01). It was concluded that a sex variation in the prevalence of EIPH exists in two-year-old quarter horses.
Haemangioma of the guttural pouch of a 16-year-old thoroughbred mare: clinical and pathological findings. A 16-year old thoroughbred mare was presented with dysphagia and food being ejected from the mouth and nostrils. Clinical signs were exhibited for three weeks before it was euthanased on humanitarian grounds. Post mortem examination revealed a soft haemangioma measuring 7 cm X 5 cm suspended from the roof of the medial compartment of the left guttural pouch.
Intramuscular hemangiosarcoma with pulmonary metastasis in a horse. Intramuscular hemangiosarcoma resulting in severe anemia and thrombocytopenia was diagnosed in a 3-year-old Thoroughbred filly. Necropsy revealed multiple tumors within skeletal muscles and multiple pulmonary metastases.
Temporary bilateral carotid artery occlusion as an aid to nasal surgery in the horse. One of the major obstacles to successful intranasal surgery in the horse is haemorrhage, even minor interferences causing profuse bleeding. Conventional techniques for haemostasis are ineffective or inhibit the progress of the surgery. Temporary bilateral occlusion of the common carotid artery resulted in a substantial reduction in haemorrhage during intranasal surgery in five horses, with much improved visibility and facility of operation. The large contribution to the circle of Willis by the ventral spinal artery is believed to prevent cerebral ischaemia during this procedure. This paper des...