Diseases in neonatal foals. Part 2: Potential risk factors for a higher incidence of infectious diseases during the first 30 days post partum

Reason for performing study: The development of clinical illness in foals is usually predetermined by perinatal history, management or stressful environmental conditions. Objectives: To determine potential risk factors for an increased incidence of infectious diseases during the first 30 days post partum. Methods: The population consisted of Thoroughbred foals born on stud farms in the Newmarket (UK) area in 2005 (n = 1031). They were followed for their first 30 days. Factors suspected to influence the incidence of infectious neonatal diseases were examined in a logistic regression approach for each of the 3 outcomes (total infectious diseases, systemic disease with diarrhoea and total infectious diseases excluding diarrhoea). All 28 factors were either foal or mare or stud farm related. Results: Several significant risk factors for a higher disease incidence, such as birth complications, colostrum intake by stomach tube and leucocytosis 12–48 h post partum were identified. The factor ‘boarding stud’ seemed to be protective against disease. Conclusion: Some factors, such as the mare's time at stud before foaling, the mare's rotavirus vaccination schedule and fibrinogen‐values that empirically had been linked to the outcome previously were not confirmed as relevant. This included the reported useful prophylactic treatment with antimicrobial drugs. Potential relevance: Factors to be considered when evaluating newborn foals include: stud management, the birth process, route of colostrum intake, white and red blood cells, and the date of birth. These may help to detect foals at risk to develop an infection so that targeted prophylactic measures can be initiated.     

Relationship of horse owner assessed respiratory signs index to characteristics of recurrent airway obstruction in two Warmblood families

Reasons for performing study: The horse owner assessed respiratory signs index (HOARSI‐1–4, healthy, mildly, moderately and severely affected, respectively) is based on owner‐reported clinical history and has been used for the investigation of recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) genetics utilising large sample sizes. Reliable phenotype identification is of paramount importance in genetic studies. Owner reports of respiratory signs have shown good repeatability, but the agreement of HOARSI with an in‐depth examination of the lower respiratory tract has not been investigated. Objectives: To determine the correlation of HOARSI grades 3/4 with the characteristics of RAO and of HOARSI‐2 with the characteristics of inflammatory airway disease. Further, to test whether there are phenotypic differences in the manifestation of lung disease between families. Methods: Seventy‐one direct offspring of 2 RAO‐affected Warmblood stallions (33 from the first family, 38 from the second) were graded as HOARSI‐1–4 and underwent a clinical examination of the respiratory system, arterial blood gas analysis, endoscopic mucus scoring, cytology of tracheobronchial secretion (TBS) and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and clinical assessment of airway reactivity to methacholine chloride. Results: HOARSI‐3/4 animals in clinical exacerbation showed signs consistent with RAO: coughing, nasal discharge, abnormal lung sounds and breathing pattern as well as increased numbers of neutrophils in TBS and BALF, excessive mucus accumulation and airway hyper‐responsiveness to methacholine. HOARSI‐3/4 horses in remission only had increased amounts of tracheal mucus and TBS neutrophil percentages. Clinical phenotypes were not significantly different between the 2 families. Conclusions and clinical relevance: HOARSI reliably identifies RAO‐affected horses in our population.     

Quantitative determination of broomrape (Orobanche spp.) seeds in vetch seeds

A method was developed by which the presence of broomrape (Orobanche spp.) seeds in vetch seeds was determined quantitatively. The broomrape seeds are washed out of the vetch seeds by a combination of two sieves. The vetch seeds remain on the top sieve and the broomrape seeds are collected on the lower sieve with square openings of 100 μm, which do not permit passage of the broomrape seeds. An appropriate statistical method for estimating the true mean number of broomrape seeds per sample in a large vetch seeds lot is presented and discussed. Détermination quantitative des graines d' orobanche dans des graines de vesce. Une méthode permettant de dénombrer la présence de graines d'orobanche dans un lot de graines de vesce a été mise au point. Les graines d'orobanche sont séparées de celles de vesce par une succession de deux tamis. Les graines de vesce sont maintenues sur le tamis supérieur et les graines d'orobanche sont collectées sur le tamis le plus bas avec une maille de 100 μm qui ne permet pas le passage des graines d'orobanche. Une méthode statistique appropriée pour estimer la quantité réelle d'orobanches dans un grand lot de semences de vesce est présentée puis discutée. Quantitative Bestimmung von Orobanche-Samen in Wicken-Saatgut Es wurde eine Methode entwickelt, mit der Orobanche-Samen in Wicken-Saatgut quantitativ erfasst werden können. Zum Trennen der Samen wurden 2 Siebe verwendet, wobei die Wicken-Samen im oberen, die Orobanche-Samen im unteren mit einer Maschenweite von 100 μm gesammelt wurden. Eine statistische Methode für die Schätzung der Orobanche-Samenmenge in grossen Wicken-Saatgutpartien wurde vorgestellt und diskutiert.     

Comparison of ultrasonographic findings with clinical activity index (CIBDAI) and diagnosis in dogs with chronic enteropathies.

Intestinal wall thickness is neither a specific nor sensitive ultrasound parameter for detecting intestinal inflammation. We hypothesize that mucosal echogenicity, lymphadenomegaly, and secondary findings of the gastrointestinal tract would be more sensitive and specific markers for detecting and differentiating causes of chronic inflammatory bowel disease in dogs. Fifty-six client-owned dogs with chronic diarrhea and 10 control dogs were examined with two-dimensional, gray-scale ultrasound (time 0, 4, and 10 weeks post therapy) and small intestinal mucosal biopsies were performed at the 0- and 4-week time points. The clinical activity was assessed at each time point using the canine inflammatory bowel disease activity index (CIBDAI). Fifty-one dogs had inflammatory infiltration of the duodenal mucosa and were divided into three groups, food-responsive disease, idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease, and protein-losing enteropathy, based on their response to the different treatments and histology. Two different patterns of increased echogenicity of the mucosa were detected: hyperechoic speckles and hyperechoic striations. A normal, hypoechoic bowel mucosa in dogs with chronic diarrhea had a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 81% for the diagnosis of food-responsive disease. Hyperechoic striations had a sensitivity of 75% and a specificity of 96% for dogs with protein-losing enteropathy. Hyperechoic speckles were non-specific for diagnosing inflammatory bowel disease. There was a significant relationship between ultrasound score and CIBDAI at t0, but not following therapy. Mucosal echogenicity may be a better parameter for detecting inflammatory bowel disease than bowel wall thickness in dogs with chronic diarrhea.     

SCINTIGRAPHIC AND RADIOGRAPHIC APPEARANCE OF THE SACROILIAC REGION IN HORSES WITH GAIT ABNORMALITIES OR POOR PERFORMANCE

Nuclear bone scintigraphy is commonly used in the diagnosis of sacroiliac disease in horses. The aim of the present retrospective study was to determine if there was an association between radiopharmaceutical uptake pattern and radiographic appearance of the sacroiliac region in horses. Seventy-nine horses undergoing bone scintigraphy with Tc-99 m-HDP and radiography of the pelvis because of lameness or poor performance were studied. Subjective and semiquantitative methods were used to characterize and compare radiopharmaceutical uptake between horses. Ventrodorsal radiographs of the region were obtained and were evaluated. Subjectively, 70 horses (88.6%) had an abnormal uptake pattern. In nine horses, the sacroiliac region was normal (11.4%). There was no association between subjective evaluation of the scintigraphic images and semiquantitative methods. There was a significant association between radiopharmaceutical uptake and conformation (T- or Y-like form) and shape (butterfly-, wing-, leaf-, or horn-like) of the sacrum. The radiopharmaceutical uptake of the tubera sacralia was significantly higher in males (left side P =0.002, right side P =0.003). In conclusion, the conformation of the sacrum may play an important role in the scintigraphic appearance and may be the cause of increased radiopharmaceutical uptake.     

Diseases in neonatal foals. Part 1: The 30 day incidence of disease and the effect of prophylactic antimicrobial drug treatment during the first three days post partum

Reasons for performing study: Neonatal diseases have been grouped and analysed but up‐to‐date statistically significant information about the incidence and prevalence of diseases in foals is limited. Since the 1950s it has been a common management practice to administer a 3 day course of antimicrobial drugs to neonatal foals. This was shown to significantly reduce the incidence of infections (Platt 1977). Since then management practices have improved and it is widely believed that prophylactic antimicrobial drugs are no longer necessary in foal rearing. Objectives: To determine the 30 day incidences or prevalences (depending on case definition) of various diseases and conditions in the neonatal foal and ascertain the influence of a prophylactic 3 day treatment on the frequency of infections. Methods: The population consisted of Thoroughbred foals born on stud farms in the Newmarket (UK) area in 2005 (n = 1031). Depending on the stud farm's practice in the use of prophylactic antimicrobial drugs, 2 groups of newborn foals (treated and untreated) were identified and followed for 30 days. Results: The 30 day incidences of infectious diseases under study were between 0.2% (osteomyelitis) and 5.85% (systemic disease with diarrhoea). The overall incidence for ‘total infectious diseases’ was 8.27%. The most commonly observed noninfectious condition was limb deformities (12.11% of all foals). There was no significant difference in the incidence of infectious diseases between the 2 groups. Conclusion: Infectious diseases are still an important problem in neonatal foals requiring further investigation as to which factors other than antimicrobial prophylaxis are relevant for disease prevention. Potential relevance: The results provide an up‐to‐date overview about the frequencies of various neonatal foal diseases. They do not support the traditional prophylactic use of antimicrobials to prevent infectious diseases in healthy newborn foals. However, it should be noted that this study was not a randomised controlled trial and therefore does not provide the strongest possible evidence for this conclusion.     

Biomechanical Analysis of the Three-Dimensional Motion Pattern of the Canine Cervical Spine Segment C4–C5

Objective— To study the kinematics of cervical spine segment C₄–C₅ and its association with disc dimensions and the coupled motion (CM) in relation to primary motion (PM).
Study Design— Cadaveric biomechanical study.
Animals— Cadavers of large breed dogs (>20 kg; n=11).
Methods— Spines were freed from muscles. Radiographs were taken orthogonal to the C₄–C₅ disc space and disc thickness, endplate width, and height were measured. Spines were mounted on a simulator for 3-dimensional motion analysis. Data were recorded with an optoelectronic motion analysis system. Range of motion (ROM) and neutral zone (NZ) were determined in the direction of flexion/extension, left/right lateral bending, and left/right axial rotation, as well as the ROM of CM.
Results— ROM in flexion and extension was similar; there was no CM in flexion/extension. Left/right axial rotation and left/right lateral bending were coupled to the same side. CM was 1.72 and 3.56 times the ROM of the PM in lateral bending and axial rotation, respectively. Disc dimensions were positively correlated with body weight. Flexion/extension magnitude was significantly reduced for larger endplates, but axial rotation was not influenced. Lateral bending had no correlation with weight or disc dimensions.
Conclusion— Left/right lateral bending and left/right axial rotation are coupled differently in the C₄–C₅ segment in dogs compared with humans.
Clinical Relevance— The canine C₄–C₅ spinal segment has unique motion coupling patterns that should be considered for dynamic implant designs.     

CONTRAST MEDIA ENHANCEMENT OF INTRACRANIAL LESIONS IN MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING DOES NOT REFLECT HISTOPATHOLOGIC FINDINGS CONSISTENTLY

Certain magnetic resonance (MR) enhancement patterns are often considered to be associated with a specific diagnosis but experience shows that this association is not always consistent. Therefore, it is not clear how reliably contrast enhancement patterns correlate with specific tissue changes. We investigated the detailed histomorphologic findings of intracranial lesions in relation to Gadodiamide contrast enhancement in 55 lesions from 55 patients, nine cats, and 46 dogs. Lesions were divided into areas according to their contrast enhancement; therefore 81 areas resulted from the 55 lesions which were directly compared with histopathology. In 40 of 55 lesions (73%), the histomorphologic features explained the contrast enhancement pattern. In particular, vascular proliferation and dilated vessels occurred significantly more often in areas with enhancement than in areas without enhancement (P=0.044). In 15 lesions, there was no association between MR images and histologic findings. In particular, contrast enhancement was found within necrotic areas (10 areas) and ring enhancement was seen in lesions without central necrosis (five lesions). These findings imply that necrosis cannot be differentiated reliably from viable tissue based on postcontrast images. Diffusion of contrast medium within lesions and time delays after contrast medium administration probably play important roles in the presence and patterns of contrast enhancement. Thus, histologic features of lesions cannot be predicted solely by contrast enhancement patterns.