Ectopic ureter managed by unilateral nephrectomy in two female horses

Unilateral ureteral ectopia was diagnosed in three-year-old and 10-month-old fillies exhibiting urinary incontinence since birth. In one case reimplantation of the ureter onto the bladder was planned but considered to be impractical intra-operatively. Unilateral nephrectomy was performed successfully in both cases which alleviated the urinary incontinence. Both horses had normal urinary function postoperatively and became healthy, serviceable animals.     

The efficacy of dexamethasone and flunixin meglumine in treating endotoxin-induced changes in calves

Eicosanoids have been implicated in the pathophysiology of endotoxic shock. Drugs which alter eicosanoid production such as corticosteroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) are beneficial in treating endotoxic shock. Experiments were conducted to investigate the efficacy of dexamethasone, a corticosteroid, and/or flunixin meglumine, a NSAID, in treating endotoxin-induced changes in calves.Fourteen male calves were assigned to one of four treatment groups: group 1, endotoxin-untreated; group 2, endotoxin-flunixin meglumine treated; group 3, endotoxin-dexamethasone-treated; group 4, endotoxin-flunixin meglumine and dexamethasone-treated. Each calf was given three intravenous and intraperitoneal injections of E. coli endotoxin. Hemodynamic, blood gas, blood chemical and eicosanoid level determinations were obtained.Thirty minutes after endotoxin injection, pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) increased and cardiac output (CO) decreased compared with baseline, corresponding to increased thromboxaneB₂ levels in groups 1 and 3. These groups exhibited a decreased mean arterial pressure (MAP) at three and five hours corresponding to increased 6-keto-prostaglandinF_lalpha. The MAP, PAP and CO of group 4 remained near baseline for the entire six hours, except for a late drop in MAP. Lactic acid levels were significantly increased and arterial bicarbonate levels were reduced by six hours in all groups except for group 4. These results indicate that the combination treatment of flunixin meglumine and dexamethasone prevents many of the metabolic derangements observed during endotoxic shock in calves.     

Treatment of radial-ulnar and tibial fractures in cattle, using a modified Thomas splint-cast combination

In a retrospective study involving 15 cattle, radial-ulnar or tibial fractures were repaired with a modified Thomas splint combined with plaster cast. The cattle ranged in age from 1 day to 5 years and weighed from 46 to 775 kg. Eight cattle had radial-ulnar fractures and 7 had tibial fractures. The fractures healed in 14 cattle. The most frequent long-term complication was deviation of the involved long bones after healing. The degree of deviation decreased over several months' time in most cases. Thirteen of the 14 cattle with healed fractures were used for breeding or milking and their capacity for those functions was not diminished.     

Echocardiographic evaluation of dogs receiving 1:1 thiopental/propofol in a clinical setting

The purpose of this study was to compare the echocardiographic Doppler blood pressure and heart rate effects of 1:1 thiopental/propofol with thiopental and propofol, when used as anesthesia‐induction agents. Seven healthy dogs (six Beagles and one Pembroke Welsh Corgi), ranging in age from 1 to 9 years and weighing 14.2 ± 2.4 kg (mean ± SD), were used during the study. In a cross‐over study design with a minimum drug interval of 3 days, each dog received propofol, thiopental, or a mixture of propofol–thiopental IV until each dog received all the three anesthetic agents. An initial dose (propofol 4.9 ± 0.8 mg kg^?1; thiopental 12.9 ± 2.4 mg kg^?1; propofol–thiopental 2.3 ± 0.3 mg kg^?1 (P)?5.7 ± 0.8 mg kg^?1 (T)) of each anesthetic agent was titrated IV until intubation was accomplished. Echocardiographic Doppler blood pressure and heart rate variables were recorded prior to anesthesia and at 1, 5, and 10 minutes after induction of anesthesia. anova and the Bonferroni's t‐test were used to evaluate the groups for differences. Alpha was <0.05. There was no significant effect of treatment on systolic or diastolic ventricular wall thickness, septal thickness, left atrial diameter, or systolic left ventricular diameter. There was a tendency for diastolic left ventricular diameter to decrease over time. There was a tendency for heart rate to increase with a significant difference at the 10‐minute time period between propofol (109 ± 26 beats minute^?1) and thiopental (129 ± 23 beats minute^?1). At the 10‐minute recording period, heart rate following the propofol/thiopental mixture (110 ± 34 beats minute^?1) was closer to that following propofol than to that following thiopental. With all induction agents, indirect blood pressure tended to decrease over time (p = 0.005); however, there was no difference between the groups. The changes observed were not considered to be of clinical significance. The propofol/thiopental mixture produces similar changes in echocardiographic variables when compared to propofol or thiopental, and could be substituted for propofol for induction of anesthesia in dogs.     

Indirect measurement of mean blood pressure in the normotensive and hypotensive horse.

Indirect mean arterial pressure was obtained from the tails of 78 anaesthetised and unanaesthetised normotensive and hypotensive horses. Data were obtained to determine the optimum cuff width in relation to tail circumference. A cuff that is too wide under-estimates and a cuff that is too narrow over-estimates blood pressure. With the optimum cuff width, which is slightly in excess of about one-fifth of the tail circumference, indirect mean blood pressure was obtained consistently in normotensive and hypotensive animals with mean blood pressures of 40 mmHg and frequently in animals with pressure as low as 30 mmHg.     

Retrospective study of 350 cases of equine cryptorchidism.

Equine cryptorchidism was examined by a review of the literature and a retrospective study of 350 horses over a 14-year period. The incidence of left vs right testis retention was nearly equal. On the left side, 75.2% of the retained testes were retained abdominally and 24.8% inguinally; on the right side, 41.8% of the retained testes were retained abdominally and 58.2% inguinally. Preoperative diagnosis by rectal palpation of the vaginal rings was considered a valuable technique, with 87.9% accuracy in 190 horses. Invasive and nonivasive surgical techniques for abdominal cryptorchidectomy and associated complications were compared. The results supported the technique of traction on gonadal structures outside the abdominal cavity (noninvasive) as superior to techniques requiring intraabdominal manipulation (invasive).     

Evaluation of surgical treatment for signs of acute abdominal pain in draft horses: 72 cases (1983-2002)

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether heavy (> or = 680 kg [> or = 1,500 lb]) draft horses undergoing surgical treatment for acute signs of abdominal pain were at a greater risk for anesthetic and postoperative complications and lower postoperative survival rates than light (< 680 kg) draft horses. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. ANIMALS: 72 draft horses. PROCEDURES: Medical records of draft horses that underwent exploratory celiotomy for signs of acute abdominal pain from October 1983 to December 2002 were reviewed. Medical records of draft horses in which a celiotomy was performed for correction of reproductive abnormalities were not included in the study. RESULTS: When compared with light draft horses, heavy draft horses had longer durations of anesthesia, more postoperative complications, and lower survival rates. Seventy-six percent of horses that recovered from anesthesia had postoperative complications. Postoperative complications associated with low survival rates included myopathy and neuropathy, ileus, diarrhea, and endotoxemia. All horses with postoperative myopathy and neuropathy died or were euthanized. The short-term survival rate for horses that recovered from anesthesia was 60%. Horses undergoing small intestinal surgery had a worse prognosis for short-term survival than those undergoing large intestinal surgery. The survival rate for horses for which long-term (> 1 year) follow-up information was available was 50%. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Draft horses weighing > 680 kg that underwent surgery because of acute signs of abdominal pain had longer durations of anesthesia, more postoperative complications, and higher mortality rates than draft horses weighing < 680 kg.     

Potential use of simple manganese salts as antioxidant drugs in horses.

The scavenging of superoxide radicals by endogenous and therapeutically administered superoxide dismutases may prevent superoxide-mediated oxidative stress leading to lipid peroxidation, membrane lysis, and cell death in a wide variety of normal and pathologic states. Simple inorganic manganous salts such as MnCl2 also have superoxide dismutase-like activity and are extremely inexpensive, compared with enzymatic superoxide dismutase preparations. In this study, we explored the use of Mn salts as antioxidant drugs. We used the percentage of inhibition of nitroblue tetrazolium reduction by superoxide as a measure of the amount of superoxide dismutase-like activity. We found concentration-related increases in superoxide scavenging activity in simple buffer solutions upon addition of 1.25, 2.5, and 5.0 microM MnSO4. To determine whether Mn salts can inhibit oxidative damage in tissues, we used an in vitro model of lipid peroxidation in ischemic and reoxygenated rat liver slices. Concentrations of 10, 100, and 1000 mumoles MnCl2/L of buffer significantly decreased indicators of lipid peroxidation believed to be initiated by intracellular superoxide. We then determined the effectiveness of MnCl2 as a superoxide scavenger in conscious horses by measuring the superoxide scavenging ability of equine plasma before and during intravenous infusions of 1.0 L volumes of 0.9% saline solution containing 0, 12.5, or 25 mM MnCl2. Plasma Mn concentrations, which were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, increased as a function of time and dose. Intravenously administered MnCl2 concomitantly produced dose-related increases in superoxide scavenging ability of equine plasma at 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes after the onset of infusion, compared with preinfusion control values.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)