Sudden Death by Ovarian Hemorrhage and Hemoperitoneum in a Pregnant Miniature Mare

This report describes a case of sudden death of a pregnant miniature mare due to an acute ovarian hemorrhage leading to fatal hemoperitoneum. The miniature horse was a 12-year-old female, 60 days pregnant, with a body condition score of 7 (1–9), with a history of obesity and laminitis. Necropsy revealed hemoperitoneum due to an ovarian capsule rupture and hemorrhage after a physiological supplementary ovulation and luteinization. Ovarian rupture after ovulation is uncommon in mares.     

Entrapment of the small colon through a mesocolic rent in a mare

A 6-year-old mare was presented for acute abdominal pain unresponsive to analgesics. Exploratory laparotomy revealed entrapment of the small colon through a 12 cm rent in the mesocolon. The incarcerated small colon was manually reduced and the rent in the mesocolon was sutured closed. The mare made excellent postoperative recovery and was discharged from the hospital 4 days later. The cause of the rent, which was chronic in appearance, is unknown.     

Seroconversion for Anaplasma phagocytophilum in a Mare with Concomitant Piroplasmosis

In this article, we describe the clinical course of a 3-year-old purebred mare at the third month of gestation found to be positive for Theileria equi (indirect immunofluorescence antibody test and polymerase chain reaction) at the time of the first evaluation. At the clinical examination, the mare showed profound depression, pale mucous membranes, enlarged lymph nodes, febrile temperature, hind limbs edema, and swelling of the right carpus. Anemia and thrombocytopenia were also observed. Because of worsening of clinical signs, treatment with oxytetracycline (6 mg/kg) was started. An improvement of clinical conditions was observed within 12 hours, with a full recovery in 2 weeks. Two months after the first hospitalization, new serological tests showed seroconversion to Anaplasma phagocytophilum. In conclusion, the severity of clinical signs was attributed to the concomitant infections, usually subclinical in Sicily.     

Repeated Early Embryonic Loss in a Thoroughbred Mare with a Chromosomal Translocation [64,XX,t(2;13)]

Peripheral blood samples from a 13-year-old Thoroughbred mare were submitted for chromosome analysis. The mare had a poor reproduction record only producing four live foals during her 10 years as a broodmare. She had remained barren or experienced early embryonic loss in the other 6 years. Chromosomal analysis revealed the mare carried a rare nonreciprocal translocation involving chromosomes 2 and 13 [64,XX,t(2;13)]. Fluorescence in situ hybridization with probes specific for horse chromosomes 2 and 13 were used to confirm the nonreciprocal translocation. Both conventional and molecular cytogenetic techniques are important for identifying and characterizing chromosomal abnormalities in horses with poor reproductive performance, particularly in mares experiencing repeated early embryonic loss.     

Severe Intermittent Hind Limb Lameness Caused by a Synovial Swelling on the Dorsolateral Aspect of the Tarsus in a Dutch Warmblood Mare

Soft tissue swelling and synovial distension associated with the tarsus is very common in horses and may be associated with pain and lameness. In this case, a fluid swelling of synovial origin that initially appeared to be completely separate from any other synovial structure was present in a mare with severe intermittent hind limb lameness. Nuclear scintigraphy, diagnostic analgesia, contrast radiography, and ultrasonography were used to confirm the synovial swelling as the source of lameness. Surgical en-bloc resection of the synovial swelling has been curative. It is hypothesized that an acute trauma caused herniation of the tarsocrural joint synovial membrane. The fistula then sealed but became patent during specific phases of movement, resulting in a sudden influx of synovial fluid and a buildup of pressure. Ultrasonographic examination, contrast radiography, and distension of the tarsocrural joint at surgery all failed to identify this fistula. The associated severe pain and lameness could have been the result of physical distension of the fluid swelling or pressure applied to the surrounding nerves.     

Accidental Overdose of Pergolide (Prascend) Followed by Loss of Appetite,Tachycardia, and Behavioral Abnormalities in a Pony Mare

A 26-year-old pony mare (ca. 180 kg bodyweight) was presented as an emergency because it had erroneously received 110 times its standard dose of pergolide (Prascend) per os approximately 4 hours earlier. Clinical examination initially was normal except tachycardia of 52 beats/min. The pony was treated symptomatically with paraffin oil and activated charcoal per nasogastric tube to prevent further systemic absorption and accelerate intestinal excretion of the pergolide. Furthermore, the pony received 400 mg of dopamine antagonist azaperone (Stresnil) intramuscularly (i.m.) followed by 80 mg every 6 hours twice i.m. and then 60 mg every 6 hours twice i.m. In addition, 40 mg verapamil (Verapamil-ratiopharm) was given every 4 hours per os for two days, followed by 40 mg every 6 hours for another 5 days. The pony was closely monitored clinically. It remained bright and alert with heart rate returning to normal within one day. The only abnormalities noticed 24 hours after ingestion of the pergolide overdose were a decreased appetite and anxiety, possibly a dopaminergic central nervous effect. Over the next days, appetite returned and anxiety disappeared. Overdosing pergolide is considered very rare and to the authors’ knowledge this is the first report with a severe overdose of pergolide (Prascend). As accidental drug overdosing is a common error in medicine, it is important to know about possible side effects and how to react in cases like this.     

Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Assessment in Healthy Term Neonatal Foals Utilizing a Paired Low Dose/High Dose ACTH Stimulation Test

Background: Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function is dynamic in the neonatal foal. The paired low dose/high dose cosyntropin (ACTH) stimulation test allows comprehensive HPA axis assessment, but has not been evaluated in neonatal foals.
Hypothesis: Foal age will significantly affect cortisol responses to a paired 10 and 100 μg dose cosyntropin stimulation test in healthy neonatal foals.
Animals: Twenty healthy neonatal foals.
Methods: HPA axis function was assessed in 12 foals at birth and at 12–24, 36–48 hours, and 5–7 days of age. At each age, basal cortisol and ACTH concentrations were measured and cortisol responses to 10 and 100 μg cosyntropin were assessed with a paired ACTH stimulation test protocol. Eight additional 36–48-hour-old foals received saline instead of 10 μg cosyntropin in the same-paired ACTH stimulation test design.
Results: At birth, foals had significantly higher basal cortisol and ACTH concentrations and higher basal ACTH : cortisol ratios compared with foals in all other age groups. A significant cortisol response to both the 10 and 100 μg doses of cosyntropin was observed in all foals. The magnitude of the cortisol response to both doses of cosyntropin was significantly different across age groups, with the most marked responses in younger foals. There was no effect of the paired ACTH stimulation test design itself on cortisol responses.
Conclusions and Clinical Importance: A paired 10 and 100 μg cosyntropin stimulation test can be used to evaluate HPA axis function in neonatal foals. Consideration of foal age is important in interpretation of HPA axis assessment.     

A comparison of commercial modified-live PRRSV-1 and PRRSV-2 vaccines against a dual heterologous PRRSV-1 and PRRSV-2 challenge in late term pregnancy gilts

This study compared the efficacy, in terms of reproductive performance, of a porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV)-1 or PRRSV-2 modified-live virus (MLV) vaccine against a dual heterologous PRRSV-1 and PRRSV-2 challenge. Gilts were administered either the PRRSV-1 or PRRSV-2 MLV vaccine at 21 days prior to breeding and were challenged intranasally with both PRRSV species at day 93 of gestation. Vaccination of gilts with PRRSV-2 MLV vaccine resulted in improved reproductive performance in sows (e.g. duration of pregnancy) and piglet health and overall viability (e.g. increase of the number of live-born and weaned pigs, and decrease of stillborn). Vaccination of gilts with PRRSV-1 MLV vaccine was able to reduce only PRRSV-1 viremia in contrast, PRRSV-2 MLV vaccine was able to reduce both PRRSV-1 and PRRSV-2 viremia. Vaccination of gilts with PRRSV-2 MLV induced higher numbers of PRRSV-2 specific interferon-γ secreting cells (IFN-γ-SC) compared to the PRRSV-1 MLV while there was no difference in the number of PRRSV-1 specific IFN-γ-SC between the two vaccines. Taken together, the results presented here suggest that vaccination of gilts with the PRRSV-2 MLV vaccine is more efficacious against dual heterologous PRRSV-1 and PRRSV-2 challenge compared to the PRRSV-1 MLV vaccine.