Hemostatic abnormalities in equine colic

Hemostatic profiles were determined in 30 horses with clinical colic. Blood samples were obtained at the time of the animal's admission, and the following hemostatic tests were done: blood platelet count, plasma fibrinogen, plasma antithrombin, prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, thrombin time, protamine sulfate test for soluble fibrin monomer, and fibrin-fibrinogen degradation products. The patients were categorized in retrospect, according to the cause of the colic: group 1--colic associated with colitis and/or severe diarrhea, group 2--colic associated with torsion or obstruction of the intestine, and group 3--colic associated with impaction of the intestine or the presence of enteroliths. Of the 30 horses with colic, 28 had at least 1 abnormality in their coagulogram--the most frequent abnormalities being high plasma fibrinogen concentration, high circulating soluble fibrin monomer, or a long partial thromboplastin time or thrombin time. The horses in group 1 seemed to have the most severe coagulopathies, as indicated by the average number of demonstrable abnormalities. The horses in group 3 showed the fewest abnormalities--usually a high plasma concentrations of fibrinogen and/or soluble fibrin monomer. The results indicated that hemostatic abnormalities are not uncommon in horses with gastrointestinal disease and colic--the degree of severity depending to some extent on the cause of the colic.     

Hemostatic abnormalities in nephrotic syndrome

Nephrotic syndrome is often associated with a hypercoagulable state and thrombotic complications. Thrombosis may be due to a number of abnormalities in blood, including AT III deficiency, increased concentrations of fibrinogen, factors V and VIII, and platelet hyperaggregability. The therapeutic approach to thrombosis in nephrotic syndrome is the use of anticoagulants as a preventive measure or an attempt at thrombolysis with streptokinase, urokinase, or stanozolol.     

Ocular abnormalities in healthy Standardbred foals

Objective To determine the prevalence and describe ocular abnormalities in healthy Standardbred foals within 48 h of birth. Animals One hundred and two neonatal foals. Procedures All foals had an unassisted delivery. On the basis of physical examination and the results of hematological and biochemical parameters, all foals were unaffected by systemic diseases. A complete ophthalmic examination was performed within 48 h of birth. Foals with ocular hemorrhages were re‐examined weekly until the abnormalities were resolved. Results 65/102 (63.7%) foals did not show ocular abnormalities, while in 37/102 (36.3%) cases, ocular abnormalities were present. Retinal and subconjunctival hemorrhages were recorded in 19/102 (18.6%), and in 13/102 (12.7%), respectively. In 4/102 (3.9%) animals, an entropion of the lower eyelid was present. Only one foal (1%) showed a congenital nuclear unilateral cataract. No other ocular abnormalities were detected. However, all foals showed various degrees of remnants of hyaloid system. One week after the first ocular examination, retinal hemorrhages had resolved in 100% of the eyes, whereas subconjunctival hemorrhages had disappeared in all eyes by the second week following the first examination. Conclusions The acquired ocular lesions observed with relatively high frequency in the examined healthy Standardbred foals were ocular hemorrhages, which always showed a good outcome. Although these abnormalities were present at birth, they were not considered strictly congenital but likely acquired during parturition. Instead, congenital ocular abnormalities were rarely diagnosed, and the entropion of the lower eyelid was the most common disease in the breed.     

Congenital anorectal abnormalities in six dogs

Congenital anorectal abnormalities were diagnosed in three male and three female dogs. One dog had anal stenosis, three had a persistent anal membrane, and the other two had an imperforate anus associated with a rectovaginal fistula. Five of the dogs were treated surgically, and four of them which were followed up for periods ranging from one to five years continued to pass faeces normally.     

Prevalence of congenital abnormalities in pigs

The prevalence of congenital defects in piglets in a large intensive piggery was determined by autopsy examination of piglets dying in the first week of life and from records kept by the farm staff. A total of 1908 piglets was examined at autopsy and 14,535 were born over the period of the survey. The prevalence of defects on this farm was estimated to be 2.9% of all piglets born, and at least one piglet with a congenital defect was found in 17.4% of litters. Of the piglets dying in the first week 9.5% had a defect and of these 8% had multiple anomalies. The mean litter size at birth for litters with a malformed piglet was 10.9 compared with 9.9 for litters without a malformed piglet. The total preweaning loss in litters containing a malformed pig was higher (29.8%) than that in litters without malformations (17.4%). The antepartum and parturient deaths in litters with a malformed piglet were 35% higher than normal litters. Parturient and anteparturient deaths amounted to 7.5% of piglets born and the total preweaning mortality was 19.9%. Sixty-six per cent of these mortalities occurred within the first week of life. The litter size at birth increased with parity as did the prevalence of litters containing malformed piglets. Neonatal loss was about 2 pigs per litter for all parities. Litter size at birth in litters containing a malformed pig was consistently higher by one pig per litter from all parities, but parturient (7.1%) and anteparturient (1.4%) deaths were also higher in these litters than in litters without malformations (5.1% and 1.2% respectively).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Laboratory abnormalities in patients with cancer

In this problem-oriented review of abnormalities associated with cancer, we have emphasized distinctive diagnostic points related to pathogenesis for each condition and outlined how the approach to management is determined by pathogenesis. For abnormalities of the complete blood count, it is important to distinguish between abnormalities directly related to marrow malignancy and abnormalities associated with extramarrow malignancy. Hemopoietic tumors consist of developmentally deficient blood cells produced by a clonal population of malignant stem cells. Tumors infiltrating marrow cause overcrowding in the limited marrow microenviroment. Extramarrow malignancies cause blood abnormalities, but the potential for normal marrow function is present. Abnormalities of blood cells secondary to therapy are usually clearly identified by consideration of clinical history. The initial differential diagnosis for hypercalcemia is malignancy. An aggressive diagnostic approach may be needed to identify the neoplasm, and therapy should incorporate measures to prevent renal failure. Hypoproteinemia and hyperproteinemia may be caused by neoplasia. Monoclonal gammopathies should be identified and may be associated with hyperviscosity syndrome. Hypoglycemia in the adult animal is most frequently caused by insulin-secreting tumors, but it has also been associated with hepatic and other tumors. Increased blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, lipase, amylase, and liver enzyme activities may also be caused by malignancy. Inadequate urine concentrating ability may be caused by hypercalcemia or malignancy-associated renal insufficiency. Hematuria in older animals is suggestive of urinary tract neoplasia. Exfoliated tumor cells may be identified in the urine sediment of these patients.     

Urinary tract abnormalities in the dog

The paper describes unusual conditions of the lower urinary tract in the dog, with particular emphasis on radiological diagnosis.
Résumé. Les auteurs décrivent des anomalies des voies urinaires basses chez le chien en insistant sur les aspects radiologiques du diagnostic.
Zusammenfassung. Die Abhandlung beschreibt ungewöhnliche Zustände des unteren Harn-trakts beim Hund mit besonderer Berücksichtigung der radiologischen Diagnostik.     

Haemostatic abnormalities in canine Cushing's syndrome

Selected parameters of the haemostatic system were evaluated in 12 consecutive cases of canine Cushing's syndrome. The dogs did not exhibit evidence of thromboembolic complications. Levels of factors V and X were increased significantly (P less than 0.01) and fibrinogen concentration was increased modestly (P less than 0.05) in these dogs. Levels of factors IX and VIII:C remained in the reference range. Antithrombin III (ATIII) and plasminogen concentrations were markedly elevated (P less than 0.001). The low factor VIII:C and elevated ATIII levels in the plasma were not consistent with characteristics of a hypercoagulable state. These results demonstrated that haemostatic abnormalities which occur in canine Cushing's syndrome do not necessarily represent a state predisposed to thrombosis.     

Survey of ocular abnormalities in draft horses

Objective

To determine the prevalence of ocular disease in draft horses in the United States.

Animals

Draft horses of various breeds and ages.

Procedure

Nondilated ophthalmic examination was performed using slit lamp biomicroscopy and indirect ophthalmoscopy. Intraocular pressures were measured when possible.

Results

One hundred sixty-five draft horses were examined. Age range: 10 days to 33 years (mean 10.8 years, median 10 years); 87 geldings (52.7%), 71 mares (43.0%), 7 stallions (4.2%); 64 Percherons (38.8%), 51 Belgians (30.9%), 29 Clydesdales (17.6%), 15 Shires (9%), and 6 other draft breed (3.6%). Intraocular pressure: mean 24.7 mmHg OD, range 13-37 mmHg; mean 25.0 mmHg OS, range 11-37 mmHg. Vision-threatening disease was present in 9 horses (5.5%): complete cataracts 1, post-traumatic optic nerve atrophy 1, uveitis and secondary glaucoma 1, retinal detachment 1, large chorioretinal scar 3, phthisis bulbi 2. Non-vision-threatening ocular disease was present in 56 horses (33.9%) involving one or more ocular structures: eyelid trauma/notch defect 14 (8.5%), SCC-type adnexal lesions 12 (7.3%), corneal scars 16 (9.7%), keratitis 6 (3.6%), corpora nigra cyst 15 (9.1%), incipient/punctate cataract 50 (30.3%), vitreous degeneration 10 (6.1%), asteroid hyalosis 1, “bullethole” chorioretinal scars 3, RPE coloboma 1. Linear keratopathy was present in 28 horses (17%) with 2/28 having concurrent vision threatening ocular disease.

Conclusions

Ocular abnormalities, in particular minor cataracts, were relatively common in this population, but not typically vision-threatening. Additionally, this survey demonstrated a greater prevalence of linear keratopathy in draft horses compared with reports in other breeds; however, it does not appear to be associated with concurrent ocular disease.     

Inherited abnormalities of skeletal development in sheep

Inherited diseases of the skeleton are reported less often in sheep than in most other domestic animal species but are likely to occur more frequently than the veterinary literature would suggest. Although most are lethal or semi-lethal, the gene frequency for some of these diseases has reached surprisingly high levels in defined populations, presumably due either to the founder effect or the presence of a selective advantage of heterozygous individuals. This article reviews the clinical characteristics, pathology, mode of inheritance and molecular basis of skeletal diseases known to have a genetic aetiology in sheep. Inherited skeletal diseases of sheep are potential models for studying the treatment of similar diseases in humans.