Incidence and characterization of aerophagia in dogs using videofluoroscopic swallow studies.

BACKGROUND: Aerophagia (ingestion of air), is a functional aerodigestive disorder in people. Criteria for diagnosis of aerophagia in dogs are >1/3 of bolus volume containing air or ingested air resulting in gastric distention (>1/3 of end gastric volume). Aerophagia is highlighted during eating and drinking. Videofluoroscopic swallow studies (VFSS) document aerophagia in dogs, but the incidence, clinical signs (CS), and associated disorders are unknown. OBJECTIVES: Identify the incidence of aerophagia, compare CS between dogs with and without aerophagia, and identify associated and predisposing disorders using VFSS. ANIMALS: A total of 120 client-owned dogs. METHODS: Sequential VFSS and associated medical records from dogs presenting to veterinary teaching hospitals at Auburn University and the University of Missouri were retrospectively reviewed. Statistical comparisons were made using Mann-Whitney and chi-squared tests, odds ratios (OR), and multiple logistic regression (P < .05). RESULTS: The incidence (95% confidence interval [CI]) of aerophagia was 40% (31.7-48.9). Dogs with mixed CS (gastrointestinal [GI] and respiratory; P < .001, 58.3%) were more likely to have aerophagia than dogs with exclusively respiratory CS (25%). Aerophagia was significantly more common in brachycephalic dogs (P = .01; 45.8% vs 13.8%), dogs with nonbrachycephalic upper airway obstruction (P < .001; 33.3% vs 4.1%), pathologic penetration and aspiration (P-A) scores (P = .04; 41.6% vs 23.6%), and gagging (P < .001; 25% vs 11.7%). Mixed CS (P = .01), brachycephaly (P < .001), and upper airway obstruction (P < .001) were independent predictors of aerophagia. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Aerophagia was common, particularly in dogs with mixed CS. Brachycephalic dogs and dogs with upper airway obstruction are predisposed. Aspiration risk was high, emphasizing overlapping upper aerodigestive pathways.

Encarceramento do intestino delgado em forame epiploico em equinos com hábito de aerofagia: relato de caso / Entrapment of the small intestine in the epiploic foramen in crib-biting horses: case report

São relatados quatro casos de encarceramento de forame epiploico (EFE), entre os casos: três machos e uma fêmea; dois da raça Quarto de Milha, um SRD e um Brasileiro de Hipismo; idade média de 11 anos; altura média de cernelha de 160,5cm; massa corporal média de 465kg. Todos os animais possuíam o hábito de aerofagia. A presença de refluxo enterogástrico e intestino delgado distendido à palpação transretal foi variável na dependência do segmento intestinal aprisionado. À laparotomia exploratória constataram-se: dois casos de aprisionamento jejunoileal; um de jejuno; e o outro de íleo. Todos os animais apresentaram EFE da esquerda para a direita, representando o sentido horário. Apenas o animal que apresentava o íleo aprisionado sobreviveu; os demais foram submetidos à eutanásia no período transoperatório devido à extensa isquemia intestinal e às lesões vasculares decorrentes da manobra de redução. A aerofagia é o fator de risco que apresenta maior correlação positiva com o EFE, fato corroborado pelos casos apresentados. Apesar de ser descrito um bom prognóstico para o EFE na literatura, foi obtido um desfecho ruim entre os casos atendidos, e salienta-se que a extensão da lesão e o sangramento da veia porta no transoperatório contribuíram para esse resultado.(AU)

Four cases of epiploic foramen entrapment (EFE) are reported. Among the cases, three males and one female, two Quarter Horses, one mixed breed and one Brazilian Equestrian, aged between 3 to 20 years, mean 11 years. The average height was 160.5cm and 465kg. All horses had a previous record of crib-biting habit. The presence of enterogastric reflux and small intestine distended loops in transrectal palpation was variable in dependence of the trapped segment. In surgical exploration were identified two cases of jejunum and ileum entrapped, one of the ileum and one of jejunum. All animals showed EFE from left to right. The horse that had trapped the ileum has survived. The others were euthanized due to the extent of injury or rupture of large vessels during surgical reduction. Although there are many notes of possible risk factors for EFE occurrence, cribbing is the risk factor that has the highest positive correlation with EFE. This appointment was confirmed by the cases presented. Despite being described a good prognosis for the EFE, a bad outcome was achieved among the cases, and stresses that the extent of the injury and bleeding from the portal vein contributed to this outcome.(AU)

Pneumonyssoides caninum infection--a risk factor for gastric dilatation-volvulus in dogs.

The pathophysiology, clinical course and therapeutic management of gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) in dogs are well known. However, the aetiology remains elusive. Aerophagia has often been put forward as a contributing cause of GDV. The most common clinical sign in dogs with nasal mite (Pneumonyssoides caninum) infection is 'reversed sneezing', which may result in aerophagia. A prospective one-year necropsy study was conducted. Of 250 dogs, 17 were GDV cases and, of these, 35% had concurrent nasal mite infection compared to 5% in the control population. Multivariate logistic regression analyses performed using the 187 dogs with complete records included nasal mite infection status, age, weight and gender. Nasal mite infection was found to be the most important risk factor for GDV in this study, with an odds ratio and confidence interval of 27.6 (4.8-157.5). Other risk factors that were marginally significant included weight and age with odds ratios of 1.08 (1.02-1.13) and 1.37 (1.04-1.79), respectively. Gender was not found to be a significant risk factor for GDV. This study suggests that nasal mite infection may contribute to the development of GDV in otherwise predisposed dogs.

Stable vices and trailer problems.

Stable vices include oral vices such as cribbing, wood chewing, and coprophagia, as well as stall walking, weaving, pawing, and stall kicking. Some of these behaviors are escape behaviors; others are forms of self-stimulation. Most can be eliminated by pasturing rather than stall confinement. Trailering problems include failure to load, scrambling in the moving trailer, struggling in the stationary trailer, and refusal to unload. Gradual habituation to entering the trailer, the presence of another horse, or a change in trailer type can be used to treat these problems.

Behavior problems of equids in zoos.

Behavior problems in zoo equids commonly result from a failure to provide for needs basic to equine nature. Equids are gregarious, and failure to provide companions may result in pacing. Wild equids spend 60 to 70 per cent of their time grazing, and failure to provide ad libitum roughage contributes to the problems of pacing, cribbing, wood chewing, and coprophagia. Mimicking the normal processes of juvenile dispersal, bachelor-herd formation, and mate acquisition reduces the likelihood of agonistic and reproductive behavior problems. Infanticide can be avoided by introducing new stallions to herds containing only nonpregnant mares and older foals.

Plasma gastrin immunoreactivity in dogs with acute gastric dilatation-volvulus.

Plasma gastrin immunoreactivity was measured by radioimmunoassay in 45 dogs with acute gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV). Significant increases (P less than 0.05) were found in dogs with acute GDV and in the fasted state after surgical treatment and recovery. The data suggested that dogs that have had GDV may have preexisting high plasma gastrin immunoreactivity. In dogs with acute GDV, plasma gastrin immunoreactivity was not found to be helpful in formulating prognosis. Circumcostal gastropexy did not affect plasma gastrin immunoreactivity.

Bilateral ventral accessory neurectomy in windsucking horses.

Bilateral neurectomy of the ventral branch of the spinal accessory nerve was performed in an attempt to control windsuckling. There was no permanent improvement in the eight cases described.