Horse Colic Prognosis Using Lactate Levels (AAEP 2010)
Stacey Oke, DVM, MSc
March 19, 2011
Monitoring lactate levels in samples of peritoneal fluid can help a vet predict which colicky horses require surgery.
Monitoring lactate levels in samples of peritoneal fluid can help a vet predict which colicky horses require surgery.
Horse respiratory issues discussed during the 2010 American Association of Equine Practitioners convention included PCR testing for specific diseases, ceftiofur antibiotic for pneumonia, and electroacupuncture for chronic respiratory disease.
Veterinarians can reduce a horse’s severe forelimb pain by administering a continuous, low-dose infusion of the local anesthetic bupivacaine, but this method is not suitable for every case, according to researchers from Cornell University’s College
Colicky horses that undergo exploratory surgery and are ultimately diagnosed with an ileal impaction appear to benefit from a single injection of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) into the ileum to resolve the problem, according to veterinarians from
The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) firocoxib had fewer side effects than phenylbutazone in horses after 42 days of treatment, according to scientists from Merial Limited who presented comparative research results at the 2010 Convention
A test able to detect even the smallest amount of insulin in horse urine has recently been developed to aid in the detection of insulin doping in racehorses, according to a group of researchers from the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Racing laboratory.
If a veterinarian suspects heart disease in a horse, running a cardiac troponin I (cTnI) blood test can expedite a diagnosis, according to a team of Cornell University veterinary researchers. Cardiac troponin I is an excellent marker for injury to
It isn’t for lack of effort that the equine industry still doesn’t have new options for treating Rhodococcus equi pneumonia in foals.
It isn’t for lack of effort that the equine industry still doesn’t have new options for treating Rhodococcus equi pneumonia in foals. “To date, alternatives to macrolides for effective treatment of R. equi pneumonia in foals have not been identified
Ann E. Dwyer, DVM, says that the most basic point-and-shoot digital camera is an “invaluable tool for documenting and following a variety of ophthalmic problems such as those affecting the orbit, eyelids, cornea, iris, and lens of the equine eye.” Such conditions include corneal ulcers or trauma, cataracts and lens-position abnormalities, and tumors such as squamous cell carcinomas or sarcoids of
Customarily, veterinarians close the intestinal wall following colic surgery in horses using either sutures or staples. But which is best? According to Julie Rosser, DVM, it’s a tie: Staples are just as effective as the traditional method of hand-sewing the intestine closed with suture material in one common colic surgery procedure.
Letting ‘sleeping horses lie’ may not be the best thing when they’re anesthetized, according to John A. E. Hubbell, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVA (anesthesiology), professor of veterinary anesthesiology in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences at The Ohio State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. In fact, the horse might not get enough oxygen, so some kind of ventilation is preferred,
A new sustained release formulation of the antibiotic ceftiofur, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in horses with pneumonia, makes treating affected foals easier.”The bacterium Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus is a common cause of pneumonia in horses,” said Scott McClure, DVM, PhD, Dipl. AVCS, an assistant professor at Iowa State University. “The antibiotic
Instead of operating on a foal with guttural pouch tympany, veterinarians should consider placing a flexible tube through the opening of his guttural pouch(es) via the nasal passage, according to a veterinarian from Auburn University.
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a fast, accurate, quick, and easy testing method to diagnose pathogens associated with equine upper respiratory tract infections, and researchers on a recent study recommended that veterinarians pursue PCR in cases of infectious upper respiratory disease. Not only does it allow the veterinarian to pinpoint the causative pathogen, it also can help control the
“Donkeys are becoming more common patients for equine veterinarians, and although it is tempting to treat a donkey like a horse, there are important differences regarding patient handling and drug dosages,” cautioned Lori Bidwell, DVM, of Lexington Equine Surgery and Sports Medicine in Kentucky. Bidwell spoke on the key differences between anesthetizing donkeys and horses at the 2010 American
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