Equine Veterinary Education最新文献

Cranial mid-body fractures of the axis in horses result from hyperflexion of the neck and are most commonly associated with lateral bending falls over showjumping or steeplechase fences. In the authors' experience, conservative treatment of mild to moderately displaced cranial mid-body axis fractures has been unsuccessful. This case report describes surgical management of a cranial mid-body fracture of the axis in an 8-year-old Warmblood gelding that sustained the injury during a showjumping course. Following reduction, a five-hole 4.5-/5.0-mm locking compression T-plate (4.5/5.0 T-LCP) was contoured to fit the ventral aspect of the axis and used as an internal fixator. The horse was turned out starting 2 months after surgery, and training was gradually resumed. No lameness, ataxia or decrease in cervical range of motion were reported after surgery. Follow-up radiographs performed 5 months postoperatively confirmed bone union at the fracture site resulting from adequate reduction and stabilisation. T-LCP fixation is a promising treatment option for cranial mid-body fractures of the axis.

Peritoneal adhesions and endotoxaemia secondary to septic peritonitis are among potential cause of mortality in the postoperative stage of equine colic. Despite decades of rigorous investigation, efficacious interventions remain limited. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Malecot catheter usage in facilitating peritoneal lavage and drainage of toxic inflammatory debris and secretions in a horse diagnosed with septic peritonitis. A 6-year-old stallion presented with acute abdominal pain, severe sweating, pyrexia, anorexia, tachycardia, poor respiratory effort, increased capillary refill time, endotoxaemia and circulatory shock. Blood analysis indicated haemoconcentration, leukopaenia, neutropaenia, a left shift, toxic degenerative neutrophils and azotaemia. An exploratory laparotomy revealed a severe obstruction at the pelvic flexure caused by a large, firm and dry faecalith, resulting in secondary colonic impaction and subsequent septic peritonitis. Following colotomy through the pelvic flexure and removal of the faecally impacted masses, including the faecalith, a Malecot catheter was utilised for peritoneal lavage and drainage during continuous 24-h critical care over 12 days. The horse demonstrated full clinical recovery, evidenced by the normalisation of haematological parameters, peritoneal fluid composition and bacterial culture results. The Malecot catheter demonstrated potential as an efficacious instrument for managing septic peritonitis in equine patients. However, it is imperative to note that the results of this study are derived from a single case and should be regarded with caution as a preliminary observation. Further investigation with an expanded sample size is essential to substantiate the application of the Malecot catheter in equine peritonitis and abdominal surgery.

Medications selected to treat problems of pregnancy in the mare must be simultaneously safe for the mare, safe for the developing fetus and able to penetrate the placental barrier. With consideration of these factors, the practitioner must determine when and for how long to administer therapy. Monitoring equine pregnancy can be challenging, owing to the size of the equine abdomen (precluding visualisation of the entire fetoplacental unit), individual variation in the appearance of the reproductive tract, and (typically) minimal clinical signs of pregnancy compromise until late in a disease process. A large proportion of currently available literature regarding medication use in the pregnant mare focuses on those pharmaceuticals which may be of use in treating placentitis, leaving the practitioner to extrapolate from these findings when managing clinical cases that do not fit into a tidy diagnosis; the aim of this paper is to aid the practitioner with making rational choices of medications using evidence-based medicine, while simultaneously considering a One Health perspective. This paper is an extension of an article originally prepared for the 2023 Proceedings of the American Association of Equine Practitioners, produced with permission.

Femoral fractures involving the stifle joint are rare in equids. While large fractures affecting the proximal portion of the lateral trochlear ridge can be successfully repaired through internal fixation, no cases of medial trochlear ridge fracture fixation have been documented in the literature. This report describes the successful surgical management of a chronic medial trochlear ridge fracture of the femur. A 25-year-old French leisure Saddlebred mare was referred to the clinic with severe external swelling of the right stifle and lameness at the walk, following a trauma that had occurred 3 weeks earlier. Diagnostic imaging confirmed a minimally displaced chronic fracture of the medial trochlear ridge of the femur associated with severe synovitis. After the failure of conservative management, the fracture was surgically repaired by open reduction and internal fixation using three cortical screws placed in lag fashion. Postoperative imaging confirmed the stability of the construction, with progressive resolution of the associated synovitis. Despite a temporary restriction in stifle extension, which was managed through physiotherapy and orthopaedic shoeing, the mare fully recovered.

Pathological conditions of the cervical vertebral column cause combinations of pain, neurologic deficits and behavioural issues that affect welfare and performance in the horse. A diagnosis of cervical vertebral malformation is associated with a high mortality rate, especially when identified in young animals. Surgical treatment offers the potential for long-term improvement or resolution of clinical signs, at the cost of the potential for complications and an initial increased financial outlay. There are difficulties with extrapolating published outcomes to the individual case; however, representative reported outcomes following cervical vertebral interbody fusion show an improvement in ataxia of 1 grade in 60%–86% of horses, 2 grades in 7%–74% of horses and 3 grades in 1%–13% of horses, with a fatal complication rate of 6%–18%. Multiple factors, such as lesion location, cause of stenosis and duration of compression affect surgical outcome. Case selection should take into account factors such as severity of initial presentation, temperament, intended use and owner attitudes. Uniportal endoscopic foraminotomy is in its infancy but shows great promise as a minimally invasive procedure able to relieve clinical signs associated with spinal nerve impingement in the cervical vertebral column. This condition is being increasingly recognised, particularly in Warmblood sport horses. Details of greater case numbers and longer-term follow-up are required, but 74% of the first operated cases returned to work. Cervical articular process joint arthroscopy/arthrotomy is uncommonly indicated but offers a low risk and successful treatment option for horses diagnosed with clinically relevant and surgically accessible intra-articular fragments or loose bodies within these joints. In all cases a clear understanding of the goals of surgery and careful discussion of the process, the risks and the anticipated outcome helps an owner and their clinical team make the most appropriate decision for their animal, in a veterinary field which still contains many unknowns for the individual patient. Research in this field is very active, with much new information forthcoming.

Two horses were referred for acute severe hindlimb lameness that persisted despite rest and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Both cases presented a moderate effusion of the calcaneal bursa (CB) on the medial aspect of the hock of the affected limb. The source of lameness was localised to the CB by intrathecal analgesia. Ultrasonographic examination revealed synovitis of the CB and tearing of the gastrocnemius tendon (GT) in both horses. Additionally, desmitis of the medial retinaculum and a focal area of radiolucency on the plantar border of the calcaneus were also identified in Case 2. Calcaneal bursoscopy was performed under general anaesthesia with the horse in dorsal recumbency. The surgical procedure confirmed the radiographic and ultrasonographic findings and, in addition, revealed the presence of a longitudinal tear of the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) in both cases. During the calcaneal bursoscopy, surgical debridement of the intrathecally torn fibres of the GT and SDFT tendons was performed. Long-term outcome (>24 months) was excellent in both cases. Although uncommon, nonseptic calcaneal bursitis may occur secondary to intrathecal tearing of the GT and SDFT. In these cases, calcaneal bursoscopy may be necessary to obtain a definitive diagnosis and debride torn fibres contributing to the bursitis.