Wooden, metallic, hair, bone, and plant foreign bodies in horses: 37 cases (1990-2005).

This research article investigates the characteristics of diagnosis, treatment, and outcome in horses which have non-digestive, non-respiratory, and non-foot penetrating foreign bodies. It finds wood to be the most common type of foreign body, and notes that ultrasonography is more effective than radiography for locating these foreign bodies.

Methods

• The study used data between 1990 and 2005 from the Veterinary Medical Database (VMDB), which includes information from participating veterinary schools.
• 37 cases of horses with foreign bodies were identified from the records of Purdue University.
• The researchers reviewed the medical history of these horses, which included physical examination results, radiographic and ultrasonographic examinations, microbial culture results of the draining tract or foreign body material, surgical findings, treatments with antimicrobials and anti-inflammatories, and surgical procedure complications.
• They also obtained long-term follow-up information from the owners or referring veterinarians.

Results

• The study found that the incidence of equine foreign bodies was 1730 for every 10,000 admissions.
• A preoperative diagnosis of foreign bodies was confirmed through ultrasonography in most cases (15 out of 17), and with plain film radiography in some cases (7 out of 24).
• Wooden objects were identified as the most common foreign body (59%, 22 out of 37), followed by metal (24%, 9 out of 37), hair (8%, 3 out of 37), nonsequestrum bone (5%, 2 out of 37), and plant material (3%, 1 out of 37).
• The study also found that postoperative complications related to the foreign body were more likely with wood foreign bodies (3 out of 22) than with other types of foreign bodies (1 out of 15).

Conclusions

• The research concludes that wood is the most frequently occurring penetrating foreign body in horses and is associated with the highest incidence of complications.
• Ultrasonography was found to be more effective than both plain and contrast radiography in locating foreign bodies and the authors recommend its use in all cases where foreign bodies are suspected.