Ionized calcium concentration in horses with surgically managed gastrointestinal disease: 147 cases (1988-1990).
Abstract: Packed cell volume, total plasma protein, serum sodium, potassium, and ionized Ca2+ concentrations, and blood pH were determined at the time of admission and following surgery in 147 horses with acute abdominal crisis. Horses were allotted to 3 categories on the basis of the surgical lesion: (1) nonstrangulating obstruction of the ascending or descending colon (category A, n = 76), (2) strangulating and nonstrangulating infarction of the cecum or ascending colon (category B, n = 37), and (3) strangulating and nonstrangulating infarction of the small intestine (category C, n = 25). Horses with low serum ionized Ca2+ concentration following surgery were given 23% calcium gluconate (100 to 300 ml) IV to effect, and ionized Ca2+ concentration was determined following treatment. The serum ionized Ca2+ concentrations of horses in categories A, B, and C before and after surgery were lower than our normal laboratory reference range. Prior to surgery, serum ionized Ca2+ concentration measured from horses in category B and C was lower than that in horses in category A. There was no difference in ionized Ca2+ concentration in serum samples obtained before surgery in horses from category B and C, and in serum samples obtained following surgery. There was a decrease in ionized Ca2+ concentration during surgery in horses in category A. There was no change between preoperative and postoperative ionized Ca2+ concentration in the samples obtained from horses in category B and C. After calcium gluconate administration, all horses with low serum ionized Ca2+ after surgery had concentrations within our normal range. Measurement of serum ionized Ca2+ in horses with an acute abdominal crisis is recommended.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Publication Date: 1992-10-15 PubMed ID: 1429169
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research examines the levels of ionized calcium in horses experiencing gastrointestinal diseases, before and after surgery. The findings suggest ionized calcium concentration decreases during surgery and an administration of calcium gluconate can restore these levels to normal.
Background and Methodology
- This study focuses on 147 horses that underwent surgery for gastrointestinal diseases. The authors recorded several key health indicators, including ionized calcium concentration, at the time of admission and post-surgery.
- The horses were divided into three categories: horses with nonstrangulating obstruction in the colon (category A), horses with either strangulating or nonstrangulating infarction in the cecum or ascending colon (category B), and horses with either strangulating or nonstrangulating infarction in the small intestine (category C).
- Should the horses have low serum ionized calcium levels post-surgery, they were administered 23% calcium gluconate intravenously. The concentration of ionized calcium was tested again after this treatment.
Findings
- It was found that the levels of serum ionized calcium were lower in all horses, irrespective of their categories, before and after surgery when compared to the laboratory’s reference range.
- Levels of serum ionized calcium in horses of categories B and C were lower than those in category A before surgery. However, there was no significant difference in the calcium levels between the categories B and C, both pre and post-surgery.
- Horses in category A experienced a decrease in ionized calcium levels during surgery. The levels didn’t change for categories B and C between pre and postoperative stages.
- After an administration of calcium gluconate, the horses with low serum ionized calcium concentrations post-surgery were seen to have normal levels.
Conclusion
- Based on these findings, the authors recommended measuring serum ionized calcium in horses suffering from an acute abdominal crisis. Despite postoperative declines, levels can be adjusted with a calcium gluconate treatment.
Cite This Article
APA
Dart AJ, Snyder JR, Spier SJ, Sullivan KE.
(1992).
Ionized calcium concentration in horses with surgically managed gastrointestinal disease: 147 cases (1988-1990).
J Am Vet Med Assoc, 201(8), 1244-1248.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis 95616.
MeSH Terms
- Abdomen, Acute / blood
- Abdomen, Acute / drug therapy
- Abdomen, Acute / surgery
- Abdomen, Acute / veterinary
- Animals
- Calcium / blood
- Calcium Gluconate / therapeutic use
- Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
- Female
- Horse Diseases / blood
- Horse Diseases / drug therapy
- Horse Diseases / surgery
- Horses
- Male
- Retrospective Studies
Citations
This article has been cited 7 times.- Fielding CL, Deane EL, Major DS, Mayer JR, Love JC, Peralez MS, Magdesian KG. Effects of calcium supplementation to resuscitation fluids in endurance horses: A randomized, blinded, clinical trial. J Vet Intern Med 2023 May-Jun;37(3):1216-1222.
- Farrell A, Kersh K, Liepman R, Dembek KA. Development of a Colic Scoring System to Predict Outcome in Horses. Front Vet Sci 2021;8:697589.
- 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.
- Morgan RA, Raftery AG, Cripps P, Senior JM, McGowan CM. The prevalence and nature of cardiac arrhythmias in horses following general anaesthesia and surgery. Acta Vet Scand 2011 Nov 23;53(1):62.
- Koenig J, Cote N. Equine gastrointestinal motility--ileus and pharmacological modification. Can Vet J 2006 Jun;47(6):551-9.
- Moore RM, Muir WW, Rush BR. Systemic and colonic venous plasma biochemical alterations in horses during low-flow ischemia and reperfusion of the large colon. Can J Vet Res 1998 Jan;62(1):14-20.
- 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).
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