Determination of the acid-base status in 50 horses admitted with colic between December 1998 and May 1999.
Abstract: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the acid-base status and the concentration of organic acids in horses with colic caused by various disorders. Blood samples were collected from 50 horses with colic and from 20 controls. No intravenous fluids had been given prior to sample collection. Identified causes of colic included gastric ulceration, small intestinal volvulus, cecal intussusception, cecal rupture, colonic impaction, left dorsal colon displacement, right dorsal colon displacement, colonic volvulus, colitis, peritonitis, and uterine torsion. Thirty-seven horses recovered from treatment of colic, 8 horses were euthanized, and 5 died. Most cases were not in severe metabolic acidosis. In previous studies, most horses presented for diagnosis and treatment of colic were in metabolic acidosis and in shock.
Publication Date: 2001-09-22 PubMed ID: 11565369PubMed Central: PMC1476611
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research investigates the acid-base status and levels of organic acids in horses suffering from different types of colic, and it shows that most of these cases are not in severe metabolic acidosis.
Objective of the Research
- The primary aim of the study was to ascertain the acid-base balance and the concentration of organic acids in the blood of horses suffering from various colic disorders.
Methodology
- Blood samples were collected from 50 horses with colic and compared with 20 control subjects. None of these subjects was administered intravenous fluids prior to sample collection.
- The colic was caused by various disorders in the horses, such as gastric ulceration, small intestinal volvulus, cecal intussusception, cecal rupture, colonic impaction, left dorsal colon displacement, right dorsal colon displacement, colonic volvulus, colitis, peritonitis, and uterine torsion.
Result of the Research
- Out of the 50 horses affected by colic, 37 recovered after receiving treatment, 8 had to be euthanized, while 5 died.
- The study discovered that most incidences did not result in severe metabolic acidosis, which is a compelling result contradicting previous researches. Earlier studies had shown that most horses brought in for colic diagnosis and treatment were typically in a state of metabolic acidosis and shock.
Cite This Article
APA
Nappert G, Johnson PJ.
(2001).
Determination of the acid-base status in 50 horses admitted with colic between December 1998 and May 1999.
Can Vet J, 42(9), 703-707.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri 65211, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Acid-Base Equilibrium / physiology
- Acidosis / blood
- Acidosis / etiology
- Acidosis / veterinary
- Animals
- Blood Gas Analysis / veterinary
- Case-Control Studies
- Colic / blood
- Colic / etiology
- Colic / veterinary
- Female
- Gastrointestinal Diseases / complications
- Gastrointestinal Diseases / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / blood
- Horse Diseases / etiology
- Horses
- Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
- Lactic Acid / blood
- Male
References
This article includes 17 references
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Citations
This article has been cited 5 times.- Viterbo L, Hughes J, Milner PI, Bardell D. Arterial Blood Gas, Electrolyte and Acid-Base Values as Diagnostic and Prognostic Indicators in Equine Colic. Animals (Basel) 2023 Oct 17;13(20).
- Ludwig EK, Hobbs KJ, McKinney-Aguirre CA, Gonzalez LM. Biomarkers of Intestinal Injury in Colic. Animals (Basel) 2023 Jan 7;13(2).
- Ryan A, Gurney M, Steinbacher R. Suspected vagal reflex and hyperkalaemia inducing asystole in an anaesthetised horse. Equine Vet J 2022 Sep;54(5):927-933.
- Hesselkilde EZ, Almind ME, Petersen J, Flethøj M, Præstegaard KF, Buhl R. Cardiac arrhythmias and electrolyte disturbances in colic horses. Acta Vet Scand 2014 Oct 2;56(1):58.
- Nappert G, Dunphy E, Ruben D, Mann FA. Determination of serum organic acids in puppies with naturally acquired parvoviral enteritis. Can J Vet Res 2002 Jan;66(1):15-8.
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