Veterinary practice in relation to horses encompasses the medical care, management, and treatment of equine species. This field involves various aspects of equine health, including preventive care, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases, surgical interventions, and emergency care. Equine veterinarians employ a range of diagnostic tools and techniques such as physical examinations, imaging, and laboratory tests to assess and monitor horse health. In addition to addressing physical ailments, veterinary practice also includes nutritional management, reproductive health, and performance-related issues. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the methodologies, advancements, and outcomes in veterinary practices specific to equine health.
Chiavaccini L, Hassel DM.Esophageal obstruction is common in horses and can result in life-threatening complications. Previous studies have described clinical findings in horses with esophageal obstruction, but there are no reports that attempt to make correlations of clinical findings with outcome. Objective: Specific clinical features of horses with esophageal obstruction are associated with increased likelihood of complications. Methods: One hundred and nine horses with esophageal obstruction. Methods: Retrospective cross-sectional study. All clinical records of horses admitted between April 1992 and February 2009 ...
Reilly PT, Dean EK, Orsini JA.The goals of mechanical treatment during the acute phase of laminitis are to preserve the lamellar interface by reducing the forces that are compromising its integrity and to make the horse more comfortable. Early decision making is important in managing acute laminitis. This article helps the practitioner to identify some of the commonly used and accepted methods of protecting the laminitic foot. The materials available and the theories behind their use are also described. The laminitic foot needs to be understood before determining methods for its support. Most treatment options involve shif...
Vettorato E, Chase-Topping ME, Clutton RE.The recovery quality scoring systems (RQSSs) in current use have not been critically reviewed for reliability. Objective: To examine reliability (reproducibility) of 4 RQSSs when applied to a ranked series. Methods: A DVD incorporating the recordings of 9 horses recovering from general anaesthesia was evaluated by final year students over 5 days. On Day 1, each evaluator ranked recoveries from 1-9 (1 = best). Over the following 4 days, each evaluator scored the same recoveries using 4 different RQSSs (3 of them in common usage and previously published) applied in random order. The scores from ...
Samper JC, Plough T.In the last decade, there has been a significant increase in the quality and commercial use of frozen equine semen. The emergence of new reproductive technologies, coupled with the high prices for an insemination dose from some stallions, the increasing costs of import and export and the marketing policies of stallion agents or owners in the sport horse industry has stimulated the fractionation of doses for insemination. Consequently, the sperm number and the volume of an insemination dose are significantly reduced. To deliver lower doses of sperm in lower volumes compared to the standard dose...
Menzies-Gow NJ, Stevens KB, Sepulveda MF, Jarvis N, Marr CM.The aim of this study was to evaluate both the repeatability (intraobserver agreement) and reproducibility (interobserver agreement) of Obel grading, the most widely accepted method for describing the severity of equine laminitis. The study comprised two parts. In study A, to test intraobserver agreement, 25 ponies were graded twice by a single blinded experienced equine veterinary surgeon, on the first occasion via clinical examination and on the second occasion via a video recording of the initial clinical examination. In study B, to test interobserver agreement, video recordings of 13 ponie...
Jalim SL, McKinnon AO.To evaluate the fertility of mares bred at various intervals relative to surgical management of rectovaginal fistula (RVF). Methods: Surgical repair of RVF was performed in 28 mares at variable times relative to foaling (30 days to 24 months) and also relative to rebreeding (same cycle or delayed). Postoperative fertility was then evaluated. Results: Two mares were already pregnant at the time of surgery and 20 of 23 mares (87%) that were bred immediately prior to or following surgery conceived from their first service. When mares were bred in the same cycle as surgery, the next cycle followin...
Driessen B, Bauquier SH, Zarucco L.Managing pain in horses afflicted by chronic laminitis is one of the greatest challenges in equine clinical practice because it is the dreadful suffering of the animals that most often forces the veterinarian to end the battle with this disease. The purpose of this review is to summarize our current understanding of the complex mechanisms involved in generating and amplifying pain in animals with laminitis and, based on this information, to propose a modified approach to pain therapy. Furthermore, a recently developed pain scoring technique is presented that may help better quantify pain and t...
Annear MJ, Wilkie DA, Gemensky-Metzler AJ.To evaluate the outcome of diode laser transscleral cyclophotocoagulation (TSCP) for the treatment of glaucoma in horses. Methods: Medical records at The Ohio State University were reviewed. All horses that underwent diode laser TSCP between the years of 1995 and 2007 were included. Preoperative, procedural and clinical follow-up data were collected, and telephone follow-up was performed. Results: Forty-two eyes of 36 horses were included. Twenty-four hours prior to surgery mean intraocular pressure (IOP) was 37.17 + or - 13.48 mmHg (42 eyes). Forty-one of 42 eyes (98%) were sighted and 39 of ...
Chaney KP, Holcombe SJ, Schott HC, Barr BS.To (1) determine the occurrence of spurious hypercreatininemia in a population of hospitalized foals<2 days old, (2) assess the resolution of the hypercreatininemia, and (3) determine its association with survival in these foals. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: 2 Referral hospitals. Methods: Foals442 micromol/L (>5.0 mg/dL) from 2 referral hospitals. Methods: None. Results: The medical records of 33 foals were reviewed. Twenty-eight had spurious hypercreatininemia and 5 had acute renal failure. Admission creatinine was not significantly different between the 2 groups (mean [...
Allen KJ, Franklin SH.To date there is no information on the comparison of the more recently documented technique of performing endoscopy during ridden exercise in the field, with the more traditional method of endoscopy during high-speed treadmill exercise. Objective: To compare the results of upper respiratory tract endoscopy in UK Thoroughbred racehorses performed during ridden exercise in the field with those obtained during exercise on the treadmill. Methods: A direct comparison was undertaken in 4 horses whereby both procedures were performed in the same horse within 10 days of each other. An indirect compari...
Toutain PL.For legitimate medications, veterinarians must advise the owners or trainers of horses on appropriate withholding times after a treatment, to avoid the risk of incurring a positive drug test. Objective: To explore the safety span to select that a veterinarian may extrapolate a tailored withdrawal time (WT) from a generic detection time (DT) as published by the European Horserace Scientific Liaison Committee (EHSLC). Methods: Using Monte Carlo simulations, it was shown that for a low variability of pharmacokinetic parameters (CV=20%), an uncertainty span of about 40% may be selected to transfor...
Kruger K, Stegmann GF.A partial intravenous protocol was used successfully to maintain anaesthesia in 5 healthy horses. Horses were premedicated with acepromazine, romifidine and butorphanol, induced with guaifenesin and ketamine and maintained on a constant rate infusion of lidocaine, ketamine and medetomidine together with halothane inhalation anaesthesia. Mean end-tidal halothane concentration to maintain a surgical plane of anaesthesia was 0.8 +/- 0.2%. Mean dobutamine requirement to maintain mean arterial pressure above 9.31 kPa was 0.42 +/- 0.3 microg/kg/min. The administration of relatively low doses of lido...
Nemoto M, Hata H, Higuchi T, Imagawa H, Yamanaka T, Niwa H, Bannai H, Tsujimura K, Kondo T, Matsumura T.We evaluated antigen detection kits for human rotavirus with regard to their usefulness for diagnosing equine rotavirus infection. Limiting dilution analyses showed that of the seven kits investigated the Dipstick `Eiken' Rota (Dipstick) had the highest sensitivity to two serotypes of equine rotavirus. The Dipstick did not cross-react with several equine intestinal pathogens. An investigation using 249 fecal samples indicated that the sensitivity of the Dipstick was 81.9% and 47.3%, and its specificity was 98.2% and 99.0%, and its concordance rate was 92.8% and 68.3%, compared with values obta...
Herrero P, Asensio A, García E, Marco A, Oliván B, Ibarz A, Gómez-Trullén EM, Casas R.Although hippotherapy treatment has been demonstrated to have therapeutic effects on children with cerebral palsy, the samples used in research studies have been very small. In the case of hippotherapy simulators, there are no studies that either recommend or advise against their use in the treatment of children with cerebral palsy. The aim of this randomised clinical study is to analyse the therapeutic effects or the contraindications of the use of a commercial hippotherapy simulator on several important factors relating to children with cerebral palsy such as their motor development, balance...
Rashid A, Mubarak A, Hussain A.Equine babesiosis is a tick-borne haematological disease of equidae that can affect acutely, subacutely and chronically. The disease is manifested by intermittent fever, anaemia, icterus and haemoglobinuria. The authors describe the clinical, haematological and therapeutic aspects of babesiosis in equines at two units in Kotley and at two units in Jehlum of the Remount Veterinary and Farms Corps (RVFC). Animals on these units showed the signs of illness. On clinical examination, intermittent temperature, increased respiratory rate, anaemia, lacrimation, conjunctivitis and pale mucous membranes...
Wilsher S, Ousey J, Allen WR.Abnormal cord attachment can be a manifestation of an inappropriate fixation position of the conceptus in the uterus, or it may result from disorientation of the conceptus post fixation. The potential for this resulting in fetal and neonatal compromise is reviewed in the light of previous reports and to which 3 cases within the authors' experience are added.
Durham AE, Hughes KJ, Cottle HJ, Rendle DI, Boston RC.Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is diagnosed rarely in equine practice although it may be under-recognised. A greater awareness of the condition and therapeutic considerations would be to the benefit of such cases presenting in practice. More investigation into the pharmacological management of these cases is needed. Objective: Three cases of diabetes mellitus were investigated using a specific test for insulin sensitivity and pancreatic beta cell function in order to define accurately and characterise the existence of T2DM in all 3 subjects. Methods: The insulin-modified frequently sampled i....
Rucker A.In the chronic-laminitic foot, severe soft-tissue compression and compromised circulation can result in osteitis and sepsis at the margin of the distal phalanx. Resultant inflammation and sepsis may cause the coronary corium to swell, drain, or separate from the hoof capsule, usually within 8 weeks of laminitis onset. Slow-onset cases of soft-tissue impingement can develop secondary to distal phalanx displacement due to lack of wall attachment. With either presentation, partial upper wall resection is required to reverse compression and vascular impingement by the hoof capsule. If the patholog...
van Eps AW.Digital hypothermia successfully reduces the severity of experimentally induced laminitis. Continuous-distal limb cryotherapy may be a useful technique in clinical cases that are at risk of developing laminitis. This article examines the effects of hypothermia on tissue as well as the rationale, and suggested protocols for the usage of distal limb cryotherapy in the prevention and treatment of laminitis.
Orsini JA, Wrigley J, Riley P.Home care for horses with chronic laminitis has been discussed rarely in the veterinary literature even though, at any given time, most of us have at least 1 chronic laminitis case in our care that is being managed at home by the owner. Almost all of our knowledge on this aspect of laminitis treatment has been gleaned through experience, by individually working through the medical, ethical, financial, and emotional challenges these cases can present. Much has already been presented on the medical management of the laminitic horse and on strategies for trimming and shoeing the laminitic foot. T...
Hunt RJ, Wharton RE.Chronic laminitis involves laminar morphologic changes resulting in digital collapse and can vary greatly in its clinical manifestation depending on duration, severity of lameness, and stability of the distal phalanx/hoof wall interface. Accurate assessment of the whole patient is mandatory and consideration must be given to signalment, occupation, and owner expectations, as well as history and etiology, which often predict the broad course of the disease. Diagnosis is made via physical examination with adjunctive serial radiographic evaluation and possibly venography. Eventual functionality o...
Walsh DM.The author has completed 40 years as a veterinarian treating horses with laminitis. The article is a recollection of his experiences with laminitis and the various treatment methods he came across while trying to treat the disease.
Steward ML.This article describes the use of the wooden shoe in the treatment of chronic laminitis. The shoe, designed to provide a solid base and full roller motion, offers mechanical advantages and enables reduction and redistribution of forces within the hoof capsule.
Christmann U, Hite RD, Tan RH, Thatcher CD, Witonsky SG, Werre SR, Buechner-Maxwell VA.To evaluate the phospholipid composition and function of surfactant in horses with recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) at various clinical stages and compare these properties with findings in horses without RAO. Methods: 7 horses with confirmed RAO and 7 without RAO (non-RAO horses). Methods: Pairs of RAO-affected and non-RAO horses were evaluated before, during, and after exposure to hay. Evaluations included clinical scoring, lung function testing, airway endoscopy, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) absolute and differential cell counts. Cell-free BALF was separated into crude surfactan...
Atta EH, Dias DS, Marra VL, de Azevedo AM.The best antithymocyte globulin preparation for first-line immune suppression in patients with severe aplastic anemia is still not clear. The aim of this study was to compare hematological response and overall survival in patients submitted to horse or rabbit antithymocyte globulin as first-line treatment for severe aplastic anemia. We retrospectively compared 71 consecutive patients with severe aplastic anemia, classified according to the antithymocyte globulin preparation. Analyses included variables related to patients and to immune suppression. Forty two patients (59.1%) received horse and...
Duz M, Whittaker AG, Love S, Parkin TD, Hughes KJ.To validate the use of digital audio recording and analysis for quantification of coughing in horses. Methods: Part A: Nine simultaneous digital audio and video recordings were collected individually from seven stabled horses over a 1 h period using a digital audio recorder attached to the halter. Audio files were analysed using audio analysis software. Video and audio recordings were analysed for cough count and timing by two blinded operators on two occasions using a randomised study design for determination of intra-operator and inter-operator agreement. Part B: Seventy-eight hours of audio...
McIlwraith CW, Frisbie DD.The therapeutic value of microfracture has been demonstrated in clinical patients. The rationale is that focal penetration of the dense subchondral plate exposes cartilage defects to the benefits of cellular and growth factor influx in addition to improving anchorage of the new tissue to the underlying subchondral bone and, to some extent, the surrounding cartilage. While functional outcomes have been reported, there is a paucity of data on the histological, biochemical, and molecular changes in human patients. This paper reviews 4 basic science studies of microfracture using an equine chondra...
Roberts GD, Graham JP.CR is a useful tool for the equine veterinarian and has many advantages. Its only major disadvantage is the initial cost, in dollars and time, for setup in one's practice. CR is already in use at several universities and private practices in the United States and around the world. In the future, as is the case with any computer-based technology, this modality should become more affordable and readily available to smaller practices. The potential of CR in veterinary medicine combined with saturation of the human market is driving the development of specialized software and algorithms for veteri...
Mason TA, Speirs VC, Maclean AA, Smyth GB.A technique for the surgical repair of a cleft soft palate in the horse is described. A symphysiotomy approach was employed to repair the anterior end of the cleft palate, and the posterior part was approached via a pharyingotomy incision.
Reef VB.Arrhythmias detected on prepurchase examination should be confirmed with an ECG. Exercising ECG determines if the arrhythmia is overdriven during exercise or is a safety concern. An echocardiogram is needed in all horses with a grade 3/6 or louder mid to late systolic, holosystolic, or pansystolic murmur or any holodiastolic decrescendo murmur to identify the cardiac abnormality and its hemodynamic impact. Most horses with arrhythmias and murmurs have a normal performance career and life expectancy and are insurable. Risks for sudden death and congestive heart failure associated with the commo...
Goodrich LR.Equine orthopedic pain management has become a growing area of interest. Its importance has been emphasized in many studies showing that better pain management results in decreased postoperative complications such as chronic pain, support-limb laminitis, gastric ulceration, and gastrointestinal disease. This review is meant for the surgeon managing orthopedic pain pre-, peri-, and postoperatively.
Segabinazzi LGTM, Scheeren VFDC, Freitas-Dell'Aqua CP, Papa FO, Alvarenga MA, Dell'Aqua JA, Canisso IF.The present study aimed to compare semen parameters and fertility of cooled donkey semen extended in a commercially available skim milk (SKM) based extender and the same extender with cholesterol-loaded cyclodextrin (SKM-CLC). In Experiment 1, thirty-five ejaculates from seven jacks were split in SKM and SKM-CLC, extended at 50 million sperm/mL and stored at 5°C for 48 hours. Total motility (TM), progressive motility (PM), percentage of sperm with rapid motility (RAP) were assessed with CASA. Plasma membrane stability (PMS), and high mitochondrial membrane potential (HMP) were assessed with t...
Hance SR.Colopexy is a surgical procedure designed to create an adhesion from the ventral colon to the body wall to prevent recurrence of large colon volvulus or displacement, and is a useful technique to prevent recurrence of this disease. Colopexies usually are reserved for broodmares, because this is the population of horses that is most predisposed to recurrence of large colon volvulus.
Pezzanite L, Easley J.Cervical vertebral compressive myelopathy (CVCM) represents the most significant disease of the spinal cord in horses for which surgical treatment is described. Current surgical methods used include ventral interbody fusion with kerf cut cylinders and dorsal laminectomy. Polyaxial pedicle screw and rod constructs and ventral locking compression plating have been introduced in the treatment of equine CVCM and present promising alternative approaches to achieve ventral interbody fusion. Advancements in diagnostic imaging and endoscopy of the cervical vertebral canal may improve reliable preopera...
Hendrickson DA.Equine surgery continues to benefit from advances in endoscopic surgical techniques. Much of what we have learned in equine endoscopy comes from techniques used in humans. Descriptions of the normal anatomy of the standing horse and advances in instrumentation have improved our ability to perform laparoscopic surgery in standing and dorsally recumbent horses. This article describes the history of laparoscopy and available instrumentation.
Sweeney RW, Sweeney CR.Horner's syndrome developed in 2 horses after routine jugular venipuncture. Signs included unilateral sweating of the face in both horses and ptosis in 1 horse. The signs resolved within 14 hours. Signs of a perivascular injection did not develop in either horse. Although Horner's syndrome has been reported after perivascular jugular injections these cases illustrate that the syndrome may develop following routine intravenous injections.
Morris LH, Tiplady C, Allen WR.To compensate for the wide variation in the freezability of stallion spermatozoa, it has become common veterinary practice to carry out repeated ultrasonography of the ovaries of oestrous mares in order to be able to inseminate them within 6-12 h of ovulation with a minimum of 300-500 x 10(6) frozen-thawed spermatozoa. Furthermore, in order to achieve satisfactory fertility, this requirement for relatively high numbers of spermatozoa currently limits our ability to exploit recently available artificial breeding technologies, such as sex-sorted semen, for which only 5-20 x 10(6) spermatozoa are...
Corley KT, Donaldson LL, Durando MM, Birks EK.Critical illness, anesthesia, primary cardiovascular disease, and exercise may result in marked hemodynamic alterations. Measuring cardiac output (CO) is central to defining these alterations for both clinician and researcher. In the past 10 years, several new methods of measuring CO have been developed for the human medical market. Some of these methods are now validated in the horse and are in clinical use. The Fick method has been used in equine research for more than a century. It depends on simultaneous measurement of mixed venous (pulmonary arterial) and peripheral arterial oxygen conten...
Elliott M.Forty-one cases of Cushing's Disease affecting both equine and canine patients were treated with an identical mixture of two homeopathically prepared remedies (ACTH 30c and Quercus robur 30c), and the clinical improvements seen in the cases assessed. Homeopathy has been described as a medicine that can only be prescribed on the basis of individual symptoms shown, fitting the remedy to the patient, not the disease. The aim of this study was to define whether a standardised approach, using homeopathically prepared remedies, was a valid system of therapy for this disease, and if so, whether resul...
Cartee RE, Rumph PF.The results from water-bath studies on equine muscle in which foreign material had been inserted and then scanned ultrasonographically were compared with the results from scanning of the muscles of horses hospitalized for diagnosis of suspected foreign objects embedded in muscle. The water-bath studies showed that bone, wood, and large tendons all will demonstrate acoustic shadowing, but that subtle differences in the characteristics of the relative hyperechogenicity and acoustic shadows facilitate elimination of certain considerations in the differential diagnosis. Ultrasonography was effecti...
Savage CJ.Defining respiratory disease is not always easy in the horse because auscultation with accurate interpretation of lung sounds can be difficult. However, performing a thorough physical examination, including rebreathing auscultation and percussion of the thorax and sinuses, is very useful in elucidating the problem. Endoscopic examination of the upper respiratory system is also critical for definitively diagnosing certain conditions.
Fortier LA, Mac Harg MA.Ten horses with histologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and 1 horse with presumptive SCC of the external genitalia were treated with a combination of surgical debridement and topical administration of 5-fluorouracil, or with topical treatment alone. Tumor remission was obtained in all horses except 1 in which owner compliance was deficient, and no recurrences have been reported. Topical use of 5-fluorouracil as a chemotherapeutic agent for treatment of genital lesions of SCC in horses should be considered as a viable alternative to radical surgical excision.
Kamus L, Rameau M, Theoret C.Wounds are among the most common medical conditions affecting horses and have a major economic impact on the horse industry. Wound healing in horses is distinct to that documented in other species, and often results in delayed healing and extensive scarring, with compromised functional and aesthetic outcomes. To date, there is no conventional method objectively proven to accelerate healing or to successfully prevent complications associated with second intention healing. Several effects of Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) may be particularly useful to the management of wounds in horses. ...
Vrins A, Carlson G, Feldman B.Warfarin or dicoumarol prevents the production of functional clotting factors II, VII, IX and X. Navicular disease and thrombophlebitis are examples of equine thrombotic diseases in which warfarin has been used therapeutically. The initiation of anticoagulant therapy is relatively simple but attending veterinarians must be aware of the potential risks in order to minimize them. These risks include epistaxis, bleeding into the gastrointestinal tract and at the venipuncture site, and increased susceptibility to hematoma formation following local trauma. Vitamin K, especially vitamin K(1) is a sw...
Graham RJTY, Rosanowski SM, McILWRAITH CW.Osteochondral fragmentation of the carpus is a common cause of lameness in racehorses. Prognosis following arthroscopic removal of the fragments was reported in 1987, but little is known of recent success rates. Objective: To identify associations between the severity and location of osteochondral fragments in the carpus, and to describe the racing performance of horses pre- and post-surgery in Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses. To identify factors associated with a horse racing post-surgery. Methods: Retrospective study of clinical records (2006-2016). Methods: Surgical and racing records for ...
Burke MJ, Parente EJ.To report surgical complications, occurrence of post-obliteration colic, long term outcome, and return to previous function for horses treated with prosthetic mesh obliteration of the nephrosplenic space. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: Horses (n = 26) having nephrosplenic space obliteration using prosthetic mesh. Methods: Horses undergoing mesh obliteration between January 2006 and May 2013 were included. A Proxplast™ mesh was secured to the nephrosplenic space with titanium helical coils in standing horses using laparoscopic technique. Perioperative data were obtained from the m...
Golonka P, Kornicka-Garbowska K, Marycz K.Stem cell based therapy are now commonly applied in human and veterinary medical practice especially in orthopaedics. Mesenchymal stromal stem cells isolated from adipose tissue (ASC) are first choice option due to relatively non-invasive and safe procedure of tissue harvesting. However, ASC therapeutic potential strongly rely on patients general health condition, age and life-style. For that reason, to enhance therapeutic potential of cells, they are modified in vitro using different approaches. Previous studies have shown, that ASC treated with resveratrol, herein called SIRT+, are character...
Scheidhacker M, Bender W, Vaitl P.After describing horse-riding as a facility in managing mentally ill patients, a program for chronic schizophrenic in-patients is presented. Clinical experience with this program and also results of a controlled study are reported. The therapeutic value and slope for horse-riding are discussed in relation to different diagnoses.
Orsini JA, Kreuder C.Musculoskeletal disorders in newborn foals are complex, multifactorial, and associated with prematurity, dysmaturity, and twinning. They include incomplete ossification of cuboidal bones, tendon laxity, congenital angular limb deformities, septic arthritis, osteomyelitis, and septicemia. Other deformities associated with nutrition, large size, and rapid growth include osteochondrosis, physitis, ruptured tendons, acquired flexural deformities, and postnatal angular limb deformities. Optimal management of the complexly interrelated musculoskeletal disorders of the neonate also is discussed.
Arnbjerg J.After a short review of previous literature about fractures of the navicular bone in horses, the symptoms and the pathological-anatomical changes of the condition are described. The most important clinical symptom is acute severe lameness without significant swellings, but with pronounced pain reaction to rotation of the coffin joint. After rest the lameness is reduced considerably, but without treatment it can persist for several years. Adherences between the deep flexor tendon and the site of the fracture and eventual damage to the coffin joint are considered to be the cause of the persistin...
Hoffman AM, Viel L.Field diagnostic tests for respiratory diseases are constantly evolving. With each new application, equine patients with sinusitis, acute and chronic bacterial and fungal pneumonia SAID, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pleuropneumonia or poor performance are managed with greater proficiency. All of these problems can be investigated adequately in the field. This article is a guide to sampling techniques relevant to the ambulatory clinician.
Wakuno A, Maeda T, Kodaira K, Kikuchi T, Ohta M.A three-year old Thoroughbred racehorse was anesthetized with sevoflurane and oxygen inhalation anesthesia combined with constant rate infusion (CRI) of alfaxalone-medetomidine for internal fixation of a third metacarpal bone fracture. After premedication with intravenous (IV) injections of medetomidine (6.0 µg/kg IV), butorphanol (25 µg/kg IV), and midazolam (20 µg/kg IV), anesthesia was induced with 5% guaifenesin (500 ml/head IV) followed immediately by alfaxalone (1.0 mg/kg IV). Anesthesia was maintained with sevoflurane and CRIs of alfaxalone (1.0 mg/kg/hr) and medetomidine (3.0 µg/kg...
Hay WP, Tulleners E.Granulation tissue masses arising from the axial surface of the arytenoid cartilage in 25 horses were excised using a contact neodymium:yttrium aluminum garnet laser. A technique that eliminated the need for general anesthesia or laryngotomy was developed for transen-doscopic removal of the masses in standing horses. Nineteen racehorses made abnormal upper respiratory tract noises or their performance was decreased, whereas six horses not used for racing had a history of stertor (five horses) or epistaxis after nasogastric intubation (one horse). Thoroughbreds were significantly (p = .0126) ov...
Baratt R.Although diagnostic images can be obtained with traditional rare-earth film-screen combinations, digital radiography (DR) has enhanced the ability of the general practitioner to obtain diagnostic radiographs of the equine head. With the widespread availability of DR in equine practices, the practitioner can more readily learn the correct positioning for the various projections of the equine head that are used to evaluate the dentition and sinuses. Digital systems provide rapid processing of the image, enabling the practitioner to correct positioning errors and retake the image without signific...
Estell K.Acute central nervous system (CNS) trauma in the field is best approached by a systematic and thorough physical and neurologic examination that allows the practitioner to localize the brain or spinal cord injury. The skull and vertebral canal are complex 3-dimensional structures, and orthogonal radiographic views are necessary for an accurate diagnosis. Therapeutics aimed at decreasing pain, inflammation, and edema or increased intracranial pressure in the case of traumatic brain injury should be administered. Survival and return to athleticism can be achieved even in moderate-to-severe trauma...
