Effects of soaked hay on lung function and airway inflammation in horses with severe asthma.

BACKGROUND: Reducing inhaled dust particles improves lung function in horses with severe asthma. Soaked hay is commonly used by owners, but its efficacy in improving lung function and inflammation has not been documented. OBJECTIVES: To measure the effects of soaked hay and alfalfa pellets in horses with severe asthma. ANIMALS: Ten adult horses with severe asthma from a research colony. METHODS: Prospective controlled trial. Horses in clinical exacerbation were housed indoors and allocated to be fed either soaked hay (n = 5) or alfalfa pellets (n = 5) for 6 weeks. Soaked hay was immersed for 45 minutes and dried out hay was discarded between meals. Pulmonary function and clinical scores were measured before and after 2, 4, and 6 weeks. Tracheal mucus scores and bronchoalveolar lavages were performed before and after 6 weeks. Lung function was analyzed with a linear mixed model using log-transformed data. RESULTS: Lung resistance decreased from (median (range)) 2.47 (1.54-3.95) to 1.59 (0.52-2.10) cmH2 O/L/s in the pellets group and from 1.89 (1.2-3.54) to 0.61 (0.42-2.08) cmH2 O/L/s in the soaked hay group over the 6-week period for an average difference of 1.06 cmH2 O/L/s for pellets (95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 0.09-2.04, P = .03, not significant after correction) and 1.31 cmH2 O/L/s for soaked hay (95% CI: -0.23 to 2.85, P < .001, significant). CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Soaked hay can control airway obstruction in horses with severe asthma. The strict protocol for soaking and discarding dried-out hay in this study could however be considered too great of an inconvenience by owners.

Acute diarrhea in horses: A multicenter Canadian retrospective study (2015 to 2019).

This study describes the clinicopathological findings, diagnostic approach, treatment, and factors associated with non-survival of diarrheic horses admitted to 4 Canadian university teaching hospitals between 2015 and 2019. A total of 300 horses, ≥1-year-old, with acute diarrhea were included and represented 1.6% (300/18 481; range: 0.7 to 3%) of admissions during that period, 70% of the horses survived to discharge. Testing for enteropathogens was limited to a single fecal culture for Salmonella spp. in most cases. An enteropathogen was identified in 14% (42/300) of the horses, but in the hospital with higher testing rates enteropathogens were detected in 29% (16/55) of cases. Neorickettsia risticii was the pathogen most frequently detected (31%, 32/102). Antimicrobial drugs and plasma were administered to 57 and 8% of the cases, respectively. Laminitis occurred in 24/298 (8%) of the horses. A multivariable regression model identified an association between non-survival of diarrheic horses and colic signs, increased heart rate, packed cell volume, creatinine concentration, and decreased total protein concentration. A standardized approach for pathogen detection in diarrheic horses is not consistent among Canadian veterinary teaching hospitals, and testing for known pathogens is limited. Signs of colic, severe dehydration, endotoxemia, and hypoproteinemia are associated with non-survival of diarrheic horses.

Diarrhée aiguë chez le cheval : une étude rétrospective canadienne multicentrique (2015 à 2019). Cette étude décrit les résultats clinicopathologiques, l'approche diagnostique, le traitement et les facteurs associés à la non-survie de chevaux diarrhéiques admis dans quatre hôpitaux universitaires canadiens entre 2015 et 2019. Un total de 300 chevaux, ≥1 an, atteints de diarrhée aiguë ont été inclus et représentaient 1,6 % (300/18 481; intervalle : 0,7 à 3 %) des admissions au cours de cette période. Soixante-dix pourcents des chevaux ont survécu jusqu'à leur congé. La recherche d'agents entéropathogènes était limitée à une seule culture fécale pour Salmonella spp. dans la plupart des cas. Un agent entéropathogène a été identifié chez 14 % (42/300) des chevaux, mais à l'hôpital avec des taux de dépistage plus élevés, des agents entéropathogènes ont été détectés dans 29 % (16/55) des cas. Neorickettsia risticii était l'agent pathogène le plus fréquemment détecté (31 %, 32/102). Des médicaments antimicrobiens et du plasma ont été administrés respectivement à 57 et 8 % des cas. Une fourbure est survenue chez 24/298 (8 %) des chevaux. Un modèle de régression multivarié a identifié une association entre la non-survie des chevaux diarrhéiques et les signes de coliques, l'augmentation de la fréquence cardiaque, l'hématocrite, la concentration de créatinine et la diminution de la concentration totale de protéines. Une approche normalisée pour la détection des agents pathogènes chez les chevaux diarrhéiques n'est pas uniforme dans les hôpitaux d'enseignement vétérinaires canadiens, et les tests pour les agents pathogènes connus sont limités. Des signes de coliques, de déshydratation sévère, d'endotoxémie et d'hypoprotéinémie sont associés à la non-survie des chevaux diarrhéiques.(Traduit par Dr Serge Messier).

Nicoletella semolina in the airways of healthy horses and horses with severe asthma.

BACKGROUND: Nicoletella semolina was identified in the airways of horses and its low prevalence could be because of its difficult differentiation from other Pasteurellaceae. OBJECTIVES: To develop a molecular method for the identification of N. semolina and to evaluate its prevalence in the mouth and the airways of healthy and severe asthmatic horses. ANIMALS: Six healthy and 6 severely asthmatic horses in phase I, 10 severely asthmatic horses in phase II, and 10 healthy horses in phase III. METHODS: Cohort (phases I and II) and cross-sectional (phase III) studies. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction primers targeting the sodA gene were optimized. N. semolina was quantified in oral and nasal washes and in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF; phase I, sampled twice), in nasal washes and BALF (phase II, sampled twice), and in nasal washes (phase III). RESULTS: N. semolina was found in the nose of 5, 10, and 9 horses in phases I, II, and III, respectively (first sampling for phases I and II). Six BALF from 5 different horses were positive for N. semolina in phase II. In phase I, there was no significant difference in the nasal loads of healthy horses (median (range): 2.04 × 104 copies/mL (0-2.44 × 105 )) and asthmatic horses in exacerbation (3.75 × 102 (0-4.84 × 106 ); Wilcoxon's rank sum test, P = .57). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: N. semolina is commonly found in the airways of horses. The potential pathogenicity of N. semolina remains to be elucidated, but the molecular technique we developed will facilitate future studies.