Thoracotomy in adult dairy cattle: 14 cases (1979-1991).

Fourteen cows were subjected to thoracotomy as an aid in the treatment of either septic pericarditis (n = 7) or unilateral pleuritis (fibrous or purulent; n = 7). Thoracic lesions were primary in 4 cows, secondary to traumatic reticuloperitonitis in 9 cows, and secondary to extension of a liver abscess in 1 cow. Thoracotomy was performed on 9 cows under local anesthesia. Surgery was performed on 5 cows under general anesthesia; 2 died during anesthesia, and 2 others were euthanatized. Of the 10 cows allowed to recover from surgery, 4 had pericarditis and 6 had pleuritis. Four cows with pleuritis had thoracic abscesses. All but 1 cow with pericarditis died or were euthanatized, and 5 of the 6 cows with pleuritis were discharged from the hospital. A year after surgery, 1 cow was culled because of infertility, and the other 5 cows were returned to production.     

An in vitro comparison of cordopexy, cordopexy and laryngoplasty, and laryngoplasty for treatment of equine laryngeal hemiplegia

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of cordopexy, laryngoplasty, and cordopexy combined with a modified laryngoplasty on airway mechanics. STUDY DESIGN: Experimental airway mechanics were determined by subjecting equine cadaveric larynges to airflows similar to inspiratory airflow of exercising horses. ANIMALS OR SAMPLE POPULATION: Twenty equine larynges. METHODS: Using cadaveric larynges, we developed and tested a new technique of arytenoid cartilage abduction. All larynges had the right arytenoid cartilage abducted to mimic the degree of arytenoid abduction that occurs at maximal exertion in live horses. Three surgical techniques were used to stabilize the left arytenoid cartilage of treated larynges; the left arytenoid cartilage was not stabilized in control larynges. Technique 1: Cordopexy--a suture was placed between the vocal ligament and the lamina of the thyroid cartilage. Technique 2: Standard laryngoplasty--a suture was placed between the muscular process of the arytenoid cartilage and the caudomedial aspect of the cricoid cartilage. Technique 3: Cordopexy plus modified laryngoplasty--the cordopexy suture was placed with a second suture between the horizontal ridge rostral to the muscular process of the left arytenoid cartilage and the lamina of the thyroid cartilage. Translaryngeal impedances (TI) were determined for each surgical technique by subjecting the larynges to increasing airflows and measuring the translaryngeal pressure differences. The arytenoid right to left angle quotient (RLQ) and the glottic cross-sectional area (CSA) were also measured. RESULTS: At maximal airflow, the adjusted means for the arytenoid RLQ and the TI for the cordopexy plus modified laryngoplasty (1.48 +/- 0.04, 0.69 +/- 0.05 cm H2O/L/s) and the standard laryngoplasty (1.39 +/- 0.04, 0.78 cm H2O/L/s) were different (P < .05) from values obtained after cordopexy alone (2.74 +/- 0.37, 1.76 +/- 0.48 cm H2O/L/s) or in control larynges (3.66 +/- 0.54, 4.16 +/- 0.96 cm H2O/L/s). Overall, a cordopexy plus modified laryngoplasty (9.69 cm2), a standard laryngoplasty (9.34 cm2), and a cordopexy alone (9 cm2) resulted in an increased glottic CSA greater than that for control larynges (6.94 cm2; P = .0001). CONCLUSIONS: Cordopexy alone did not improve airflow in a left laryngeal hemiplegic model. Cordopexy plus modified laryngoplasty was as efficacious as the standard laryngoplasty in alleviating the effects of left laryngeal hemiplegia on TI, glottic CSA, and arytenoid RLQ. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Fixation of the vocal cord (cordopexy) in addition to a laryngoplasty procedure may prove useful in the surgical treatment of equine laryngeal hemiplegia.     

Sound signature for identification and quantification of upper airway disease in horses

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether upper airway sounds of horses exercising with laryngeal hemiplegia and alar fold paralysis have distinct sound characteristics, compared with unaffected horses. ANIMALS: 6 mature horses. PROCEDURE: Upper airway sounds were recorded in horses exercising on a high-speed treadmill at maximum heart rate (HR(MAX)) under 3 treatment conditions (ie, normal upper airway function [control condition], and after induction of left laryngeal hemiplegia or bilateral alar fold paralysis) in a randomized crossover design. Fundamental frequency, spectrograms using Gabor transform, and intensity characteristics of acquired sounds (peak sound level [sound(peak] and highest frequency of at least -25 dB sound intensity [F(25max)]) were evaluated. RESULTS: Evaluation of the fundamental frequency of the time domain signal was not useful. Sensitivity and specificity (83 and 75%, respectively) of spectrograms were greatest at maximal exercise, but the exact abnormal condition was identified in evaluation of only 12 of 18 spectrograms. Increased accuracy was obtained using sound(peak) and F(25max) as discriminating variables. The use of sound(peak) discriminated between control and laryngeal hemiplegia conditions and F(25max) between laryngeal hemiplegia and alar fold paralysis conditions. This increased the specificity of sound analysis to 92% (sensitivity 83%) and accurately classified the abnormal state in 92% of affected horses. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Sound analysis might be a useful adjunct to the diagnosis and evaluation of treatment of horses with upper airway obstruction, but would appear to require close attention to exercise intensity. Multiple measurements of recorded sounds might be needed to obtain sufficient accuracy for clinical use.     

A technique for internal fixation of scapulohumeral luxation using scapulohumeral tension sutures in three alpacas and one miniature steer

Objective— To report a technique for open reduction and internal fixation of scapulohumeral joint luxation in large animals, and outcome.
Study Design— Clinical case reports.
Animals— Mature alpacas (n=3) and immature miniature steer (1).
Methods— Shoulder joint luxation was diagnosed by physical examination and confirmed by radiography. Open reduction was performed with internal fixation using lateral tension band sutures.
Results— Animals maintained shoulder joint reduction and were sound with radiographically normal shoulder joints (n=2) and normal range of motion without appreciable gait abnormalities (4) at follow-up 8–36 months later.
Conclusions— In contrast to previous reports of open reduction with internal fixation of shoulder joint luxation in large animals, open reduction and use of lateral scapulohumeral tension sutures resulted in functionally normal shoulder joints.
Clinical Relevance— Stabilization of the shoulder joint with lateral scapulohumeral tension sutures after open reduction is effective, technically simple, and should be considered in large animal species weighing <100 kg.     

Effects of local anaesthesia of 4 to 8 hours duration on the acute cortisol response to scoop dehorning in calves

Objective To determine the effect of a long-acting local anaesthetic on the plasma cortisol response in calves dehorned using a scoop.
Design A physiological study with controls.
Procedure Seventy female calves, 3 to 4 months old, were divided into seven groups and dehorned by scoop with or without a long acting local anaesthetic (bupivacaine) which provides local anaesthesia for 3 to 4 h. In some treatment groups the local anaesthetic was given a second time, after 4 h, to give 8 h of anaesthesia. Blood samples were taken before and for 9 h after treatment and plasma cortisol concentrations were measured.
Results Scoop dehorning caused a marked rise in plasma cortisol concentration, which returned to pre-dehorning values after 7 h. The cortisol concentrations of calves given bupiva-caine were similar to those of control animals for 4 h after dehorning, but then a significant and protracted rise occurred, with concentrations returning to pretreatment values at about 9 h after dehorning. In calves given a second treatment of bupivacaine 4 h after dehorning, the plasma cortisol concentration remained similar to control values for 8 h after dehorning but then increased sharply.
Conclusions During its period of activity long-acting local anaesthetic prevented the rise usually seen after scoop dehorning in plasma cortisol concentrations; by inference it also alleviated the pain-induced distress caused by this procedure. However, when its effects had worn off the plasma cortisol values rose sharply indicating that animals still experienced pain-induced distress despite local anaesthetic being administered.     

Torsion of the descending colon in a cow

An acute intestinal obstruction caused by a torsion of the descending colon with incarceration and strangulation of the apex of the cecum was diagnosed in a mature Holstein cow. The clinical signs manifested were acute anorexia, depression, signs of abdominal pain, and absence of feces. Rectal examination revealed a sharp decrease in luminal size of the descending colon and taut bands at that level. The final diagnosis was obtained by exploratory celiotomy. Although surgical correction was attempted, the cow died of acute fecal peritonitis 18 hours postoperatively.

Acute intestinal obstruction caused by torsion of the descending colon in the cow has not been reported in the literature.

     

Nonselective computed tomography angiography for detecting arterial blood flow to the distal limb following trauma in two small equids

Two equids weighing <250 kg were examined several days after suffering severe mid‐diaphyseal dorsal metatarsal lacerations. Distal limb vascular disruption was suspected in both cases. Nonselective computed tomography angiography with contrast medium injected peripherally via the jugular veins was used to evaluate the vascular supply to the distal limb. The use of this imaging technique demonstrated either intact or disrupted distal limb vasculature. The imaging results were verified with a positive long‐term outcome in the case with a diagnosis of an intact vasculature and with histological findings of avascular necrosis in the case with a diagnosis of disrupted vasculature.