The effect of low dose heparin therapy on complication and survival rates in horses following exploratory celiotomy.

The research aims to assess the impact of administering reduced quantities of heparin on the likelihood of complications and survival rates in horses post exploratory celiotomy, and found no significant differences resulting from this treatment.

Study Methodology

• The study was a randomized, blind prospective study intended to evaluate the effects of low dose heparin therapy on horses after exploratory celiotomy.
• A total of thirty-three horses were included in the study. These were divided into various categories based on the type of intestinal lesion they had: four horses had non-strangulation lesions in the small intestine, seven had strangulation lesions in the small intestine, nineteen had non-strangulation lesions in the large intestine, and three had duodenitis-proximal jejunitis.
• Notably, eighteen of the horses necessitated enterotomy or intestinal resection and anastomosis due to their condition.
• The horses were further divided into two groups for treatment: one group of sixteen horses received low-dose heparin therapy, subcutaneously administered at 66 iu/kg every twelve hours, while the other group of seventeen horses received a saline placebo. Heparin therapy or placebo treatment was continued for an average duration of 3.7 days.

Results and Findings

• The study found a significant reduction in Packed Cell Volume (PCV; the volume percentage of red blood cells in blood), averaging 29.1%, in the group of horses that received heparin therapy.
• However, there were no significant differences observed in post-operative complication rates or survival rates between the two groups of horses.
• Additionally, long-term follow-up data was collected for ten horses from each group, and the analysis brought similar results – no significant differences were noted between the groups.

Conclusion

• The research was conducted to explore the potential benefits of low dose heparin therapy in horses post exploratory celiotomy. Though there was a considerable reduction in PCV levels in horses who received heparin, the overall study findings did not reflect any advantage of heparin therapy on post-operative complications or survival rates, when compared to the placebo group.
• These results suggest that while low dose heparin may influence certain aspects of post-operative recovery, it does not appear to significantly improve overall health outcomes for horses following exploratory celiotomy.