Comparison of owner-reported health problems with veterinary assessment of geriatric horses in the United Kingdom

Reasons for performing study: Previous studies suggest that owners underestimate or incorrectly recognise or report health problems in geriatric horses. However, few studies have directly compared owner‐reported and veterinary assessed disease. Objectives: To compare the findings of veterinary clinical examination of geriatric horses with owner‐reported clinical signs and disease. Methods: A total of 200 horses aged ≥15 years were randomly selected to receive a veterinary examination, from responses to a cross‐sectional postal questionnaire survey. Veterinary examinations were performed within 2 months of questionnaire return, and agreement between owner‐reported data and veterinary clinical findings was assessed. Results: Owners under‐reported many clinical signs and disease conditions detected on veterinary clinical examination. For example, dental abnormalities (detected in 95.4% of horses, reported by 24.5% of owners); cardiac murmurs (detected in 20% of horses, reported by 0.5% of owners); lameness (present in 50% of horses, reported by 23% of owners) and hoof abnormalities (detected in 80% of horses, reported by 27% of owners). Agreement between owner‐reported and veterinary assessed respiratory disease (Kappa 0.02–0.2), body condition score (Kappa 0.24) and coat abnormalities (Kappa 0.42) was poor, fair and moderate, respectively. Range of motion (ROM) of the tarsal and metacarpophalangeal joints was lower in horses with owner‐reported osteoarthritis (P = 0.005 and <0.001, respectively). Conclusions and potential relevance: The low prevalence and relatively poor agreement of owner‐reported disease compared to that detected on veterinary examination suggests inaccurate or under‐recognition, or inaccurate reporting of health problems by owners of geriatric horses, which could lead to a delay in presentation for veterinary treatment. Increased veterinary involvement and improved owner education in the care of geriatric horses should facilitate earlier identification of disease, particularly that which is not readily detectable by owners, and aid management of health and welfare problems.     

Teaching veterinary radiography by e-learning versus structured tutorial: a randomized, single-blinded controlled trial

Case-based e-learning may allow effective teaching of veterinary radiology in the field of equine orthopedics. The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a new case-based e-learning tool, compared with a standard structured tutorial, in altering students' knowledge and skills about interpretation of radiographs of the digit in the horse. It was also designed to assess students' attitudes toward the two educational interventions. A randomized, single-blinded, controlled trial of 96 fourth-year undergraduate veterinary students, involving an educational intervention of either structured tutorial or case-based e-learning, was performed. A multiple-choice examination based on six learning outcomes was carried out in each group after the session, followed by an evaluation of students' attitudes toward their session on a seven-point scale. Text blanks were available to students to allow them to comment on the educational interventions and on their learning outcomes. Students also rated, on a Likert scale from 1 to 7, their performance for each specific learning outcome and their general ability to use a systematic approach in interpreting radiographs. Data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney test, the t-test, and the equivalence test. There was no significant difference in student achievement on course tests. The results of the survey suggest positive student attitudes toward the e-learning tool and illustrate the difference between objective ratings and subjective assessments by students in testing a new educational intervention.     

Genotypic relatedness of staphylococcal strains isolated from pustules and carriage sites in dogs with superficial bacterial folliculitis

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether staphylococcal isolates cultured from pustules and carriage sites in dogs with superficial bacterial folliculitis were genotypically the same strain by use of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). ANIMALS: 40 dogs with superficial bacterial folliculitis. PROCEDURES: Samples were obtained from 3 pustules and 3 carriage sites (anus, axillary skin, and nasal mucosa). Bacterial culture, morphologic identification, Gram staining, catalase and coagulase tests, speciation, and PFGE were performed. RESULTS: Of 246 isolates, 203 were Staphylococcus intermedius, 5 were Staphylococcus aureus, 15 were Staphylococcusspp, and 22 were coagulase-negative staphylococcal isolates. No dog had an isolate with the same PFGE pattern as an isolate from another dog. Coagulase-positive isolates from multiple pustules and multiple carriage sites had the same PFGE pattern in 37 of 39 (94.9%) and 22 of 39 (56.4%) dogs, respectively. Coagulase-positive staphylococcal isolates from at least 1 pustule had the same PFGE pattern as an isolate from at least 1 carriage site in 34 of 36 (94.4%) dogs. Ninety-seven of 116 (83.6%) coagulase-positive staphylococcal isolates from pustules had the same PFGE pattern as an isolate from at least 1 carriage site. Sixty-nine of 91 (75.8%) coagulase-positive staphylococcal isolates from carriage sites had the same PFGE pattern as an isolate from at least 1 pustule. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Coagulasepositive staphylococcal strains were heterogeneous among dogs with superficial bacterial folliculitis. In individual dogs, strains from multiple pustules were genotypically the same, and strains from pustules were genotypically the same as strains from carriage sites.     

Persistent efficacy of abamectin and doramectin against gastrointestinal nematodes of cattle

Objective To assess the persistent activity of injectable formulations of abamectin and doramectin against gastrointestinal nematodes of cattle.
Design Controlled slaughter study assessing residual efficacy.
Procedure Nematode-free calves were treated with abamectin or doramectin (each at a dose of 200 μg/kg) and infections then induced with repeated doses of infective larvae of Trichostrongylus axei, Haemonchus placei, Ostertagia ostertagi and Cooperia species. The duration of challenge ranged from 14 to 28 days. The calves were slaughtered at either 38/39 or 45/46 days after the treatments and nematodes recovered from the gastro-intestinal tract.
Results Significant reductions in numbers of O ostertagi occurred for both abamectin and doramectin treatments (> 93%) relative to counts in untreated calves, when challenge was administered up to 21 days after treatment. For T axei and Cooperia spp significant reductions occurred when the challenge occurred for 14 days after treatment (99%). Although differences from untreated animals were not significant, the results for H placei suggested high efficacy (> 85%) for up to 21 days for doramectin and up to 28 days for abamectin.
Conclusion There was no significant difference between abamectin and doramectin for any parasite at any challenge point, indicating that there is equivalent persistent activity of doramectin and abamectin against important gastrointestinal nematodes of cattle.     

The estimation of the composition of lamb carcases by use of an image analyser, “classimat”, on multiple cross-sections

One side of each of 20 lamb carcases was dissected into muscle, bone and fat. The other side of each lamb was cross-sectioned at 11 sites. Photographs of cross-sections were scanned with an image analyser (“Classimat”) to measure muscle, bone and fat at each site.Estimations of composition of the carcase were compared with the dissection yield.With the results of all 11 scans available in stepwise multiple regressions, 86%, 73% and 98% of the variation in the weight of muscle, bone and fat respectively was explained; and 99%, 37% and 91% respectively of the variation in percentage muscle, percentage bone and percentage fat was explained.With the results of five selected scans available in stepwise multiple regressions, 70%, 73% and 86% of the variation in the weight of muscle, bone and fat respectively was explained; and 89%, 37% and 91% of the variation in percentage muscle, percentage bone and percentage fat was explained.It is concluded that the technique could be developed as a useful method of assessing the composition of carcases of groups of experimental animals.     

Longitudinal study of antimicrobial-resistant commensal Escherichia coli in the faeces of horses in an equine hospital

The increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria represents a considerable problem for human and veterinary medicine, causing complications in the treatment of infections. Resistance in Escherichia coli from horses has been documented in commensal and pathogenic strains, but little information exists regarding the prevalence of such bacteria in hospitalised horses or associated risk factors. A longitudinal cohort study was conducted of 103 horses admitted to a referral equine hospital for more than 48 h, with faecal samples collected on hospital admission and subsequently every two days until discharge. Horses undergoing radioactive gamma scintigraphic examination, un-weaned foals and mares with un-weaned foals were excluded. Data were collected from enrolled animals, including antimicrobial treatment history and hospitalisation details. Samples were cultured for resistant E. coli; isolates had their antimicrobial resistance profile determined. High sample prevalence for resistant E. coli was identified for all antimicrobials examined except co-amoxiclav. The prevalence of resistance was consistently lower at admission, rising to a peak 4 days post-admission. Risk factors were analysed using multilevel, multivariable modelling, which identified significant clustering of resistance outcomes within horses. For all outcomes except trimethoprim resistance, the day the sample was obtained was significant, with increased risk of resistance for samples taken on day 2 or later. Antimicrobial treatment in the previous seven days and increased total daily dosages of cotrimoxazole prescribed in the hospital in the previous 24-48 h were associated with increased risk. Location within the hospital and admission reason were significant risk factors for some resistance outcomes. High levels of multidrug-resistant E. coli (47.7% of samples) and extended spectrum β-lactamase-producing E. coli (27.3% of samples) were recovered; such bacteria could significantly complicate treatment if they were the cause of infection and may represent a risk to personnel in close contact with hospitalised horses.     

A cross-sectional study of geriatric horses in the United Kingdom. Part 2: Health care and disease

Reasons for performing study: Geriatric horses (aged ≥15 years) represent a substantial proportion of the equine population, yet very few studies have investigated the prevalence of diseases within the UK equine geriatric population. Objectives: To describe the provision of routine preventive health care measures, prevalence of clinical signs of disease and the prevalence of owner reported diseases. Additionally, the effect of increasing age on the provision of preventive health care and the presence or absence of clinical signs and disease was assessed. Methods: A cross‐sectional study was conducted, surveying a randomly selected sample of veterinary registered owners with horses aged ≥15 years, using a self‐administered postal questionnaire. Results: As geriatric horses increased in age, there was a reduction in the provision of preventive health care measures, such as vaccination, farrier care and routine veterinary checks. Only 68.7% of horses had received a routine veterinary visit within the previous 12 months. Owners frequently observed clinical signs in their animals, with 77% reporting at least one clinical sign of disease. Increasing age was associated with increased reporting of many clinical signs of disease. Over half (58%) of horses had at least one episode of disease within the previous 12 months, yet only 31% of owners reported that their animal currently suffered from a known disease or disorder. Conclusions and potential relevance: Although owners frequently observed clinical signs in their aged horse, there may be incorrect or under recognition of many diseases and health problems. Reduced frequency of routine preventive health care measures, along with suboptimal owner recognition of health and welfare problems may lead to compromised welfare in the geriatric population.