Clinical findings and outcome predictors for multinodular pulmonary fibrosis in horses: 46 cases (2009-2019).

BACKGROUND: Prognostic indicators for equine multinodular pulmonary fibrosis (EMPF), an interstitial fibrosing lung disease, are poorly described. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: Describe diagnostic findings and outcome predictors for EMPF. ANIMALS: Forty-six adult horses with EMPF. METHODS: Retrospective multicenter case series from 2009 to 2019. Radiographic (n = 27) and ultrasonographic studies (n = 19) from EMPF horses and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cytology from 6 EMPF and 13 asthma cases were independently reviewed and blinded to diagnosis and outcome. Associations between predictor variables and survival were assessed by predictor screening followed by Fisher's exact and Wilcoxon rank sum tests. RESULTS: Primary clinical findings were weight loss (36/46, 78%), increased respiratory effort (33/46, 72%), tachypnea (32/46, 70%), and fever (18/46, 39%). Macrophage atypia was seen in more EMPF than asthmatic horse BALF (67% vs. 8%; P = .02). Equine herpesvirus 5 (EHV-5) was detected in 24 of 30 (80%) and hyperfibrinogenemia in 25 of 28 (89%) cases. Twenty-seven of 46 horses (59%) and 11 of 45 (24%) survived to discharge and to 3 months, respectively. Three-month survival was associated with lower median (range) respiratory rates (30 [24-36] vs. 41 [30-60] breaths per minute; P = .04), and higher BALF lymphocyte:neutrophil ratios (4.7 [1.4-22] vs. 0.47 [0.11-1.9]; P = .01) and blood lymphocyte counts (1.25 [0.93-2.55] vs. 0.90 [0.70-1.24] × 109/L; P = .03). Imaging findings, EHV-5 detection, and corticosteroid treatment were not associated with survival. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Fever is not a sensitive clinical sign of EMPF. Diagnostic testing should be pursued for horses with increased respiratory rate and effort and weight loss. The prognosis for EMPF horses is poor. Corticosteroid treatment does not improve 3-month survival.

Clinical findings and outcome in goats with discospondylitis and vertebral osteomyelitis.

BACKGROUND: Vertebral infections, including vertebral osteomyelitis, septic physitis, and discospondylitis, are rarely reported in goats, and when reported, have been largely limited to necropsy case reports. OBJECTIVE: Describe clinical findings and outcome in goats with vertebral infections evaluated by computed tomography (CT). ANIMALS: Five goats with vertebral osteomyelitis, septic physitis, and discospondylitis evaluated by CT. METHODS: Retrospective case series. RESULTS: The most common presenting complaints were progressive weakness, paresis and recumbency. Three goats were tetraparetic and 2 goats had pelvic limb paraparesis. Clinicopathologic findings included leukocytosis, mature neutrophilia, and hyperfibrinogenemia. The most common vertebrae affected were C7-T1. All 5 goats had discospondylitis with or without vertebral osteomyelitis and septic physitis. Computed tomographic evidence of spinal cord compression was present in 4/5 goats. Medical management (antimicrobials, physical therapy, analgesia, supportive care) was attempted in 4 goats, and 1 goat was euthanized at the time of diagnosis. All 4 goats that were treated regained ambulatory ability and survived to hospital discharge. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Despite severity of CT imaging findings, goats with discospondylitis, septic physitis, and vertebral osteomyelitis can successfully return to ambulatory function. Additional studies are required to determine ideal treatment regimens.

Intravenous loss of over-the-wire catheter guidewires in 13 horses.

BACKGROUND: Over-the-wire (OTW) catheter placement is performed frequently in horses. Intravascular loss of a guidewire has been anecdotally reported, but there is limited information regarding the treatment and outcome of horses that have experienced this complication of OTW catheter placement. OBJECTIVES: Describe the clinical and diagnostic features, treatment, and outcome of horses experiencing IV guidewire loss at the time of OTW catheter placement. ANIMALS: Thirteen horses. METHODS: Multicenter retrospective study to identify horses with IV guidewire loss. Horses of all ages were considered for inclusion. Horses were excluded from the study if complete medical records of signalment, indication, and outcome were not available. Intravenous guidewire loss was defined as the guidewire being lost IV at the time of OTW catheter placement. RESULTS: No horses in this study experienced adverse clinical signs associated with the loss of a guidewire. Eight horses had the guidewire removed and the guidewire was left in situ in 5 horses. None of the horses with the guidewire in situ had experienced long-term effects. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Intravenous guidewire loss seems to have a good long-term prognosis even in horses in which removal of the guidewire was not possible. Thus, in horses where guidewire removal is not feasible, guidewires that remain in situ may have limited to no adverse effects.

Cross-sectional study of physical activity, dietary habits, and mental health of veterinary students after lifting of COVID-19 pandemic measures.

Mental illness is an important public health concern in veterinary students. Recent literature has demonstrated a negative effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on veterinary students' mental health. Little literature to date has evaluated the mental health of veterinary students affected by the COVID-19 pandemic after most pandemic measures have been lifted. The objective of this study was to describe physical activity, diet, and mental health in veterinary students after pandemic measures were lifted. A secondary objective was to examine the association between depression symptoms and exposure factors in this cohort of veterinary students. In a cross-sectional study, veterinary students (n = 487) at a public university received an online survey with questions regarding their physical activity, diet, stress, and self-rated symptoms across 11 mental health domains. Logistic regression was used to quantify the association between exposure factors and depression symptoms. One-hundred and twelve students completed the survey. Sixty-three (56%) respondents met the criteria for concern within the mental health domain of depression, 75 (67%) for anxiety, and 16 (14%) for suicidal ideation. Fourth year students had the lowest weekly vigorous physical activity (median 0.5 hours). The odds of self-reported depression symptoms were 8 times lower in students engaged in high levels of vigorous exercise compared to students engaged in low levels, after controlling for number of years in the program (p = 0.02). Mental health concerns were high in this group of veterinary students.

Multicenter study of uterine tears and other reproductive complications in periparturient goats presented to veterinary teaching hospitals.

BACKGROUND: Goats are increasingly popular as both production animals and pets. The frequency of and factors associated with periparturient reproductive complications in goats are largely unreported. OBJECTIVES: (1) To report the frequency of periparturient reproductive complications in does presented to university veterinary hospitals and (2) to identify factors associated with uterine tears in the study population. ANIMALS: A total of 198 periparturient does presented to 9 university veterinary hospitals from October 2021 to June 2022. METHODS: Multicenter, cross-sectional study, with data collected from questionnaires completed by attending veterinarians. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with diagnosis of uterine tears. RESULTS: Ninety-three (47%) does had at least 1 periparturient reproductive complication. Periparturient complications included retained fetal membranes (n = 38, 26%), vaginal or perineal trauma (n = 33, 19%), uterine tears (n = 32, 18%), metritis (n = 22, 13%), uterine or vaginal hemorrhage (n = 8, 5%), Cesarean section complications (n = 8, 8%), and uterine prolapse (n = 1, 0.5%). A positive interaction effect was found between small breeds (Nigerian Dwarf and Pygmy) and manipulation on the farm by a layperson upon diagnosis of uterine tears (odd ratios [OR], 5.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.41, 21.25; P = .01). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Periparturient reproductive complications were common. Small breed combined with manipulation on the farm by layperson was associated with diagnosis of uterine tears. Clients should be educated that in the event of dystocia, small breed does are at greater risk of uterine tears and prompt veterinary intervention is critical.

The effects of orally administered trazodone on ambulation and recumbency in healthy horses.

BACKGROUND: Trazodone, a serotonin receptor antagonist and reuptake inhibitor, might be a useful adjunctive treatment in the initial management of horses with acute laminitis if it minimizes ambulation or encourages recumbency. OBJECTIVES: (1) Evaluate the effects of PO trazodone on ambulatory activity and recumbency in healthy horses; and (2) assess the pharmacokinetics of multiple PO doses of trazodone. ANIMALS/METHODS: In a randomized cross-over design, 8 healthy horses received placebo or trazodone at 2 doses (2.5 and 7.5 mg/kg) PO q12h for 48 hours with a 14-day washout period between treatments. Forelimb step frequency was measured using a hoof-mounted accelerometer and continuous video monitoring was used to detect recumbency. Groups were compared using repeated measures analysis of variance with Tukey's post hoc test. Trazodone and m-chlorophenylpiperazine (m-CPP) plasma concentrations were determined by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and pharmacokinetics were analyzed using noncompartmental methods. RESULTS: Step frequency was lower in horses receiving 7.5 mg/kg trazodone than in the control group (mean step reduction: 44% ± 11%). Steps-area under the curve were significantly lower in the 7.5 mg/kg group (mean ± SD: 3375 ± 525 steps × hour) as compared to the 2.5 mg/kg group (mean ± SD: 5901 ± 2232; P = .02) and compared to control (mean ± SD: 6590 ± 1241; P = .001). No difference was found in the number of recumbent episodes (P = .92) or total duration of recumbency (P = .9). Trazodone and m-CPP achieved steady-state concentrations, with an accumulation ratio of 1.45 ± 0.2. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Although it did not affect recumbency, trazodone at 7.5 mg/kg q12h decreased step frequency by approximately 44%.

Subarachnoid hemorrhage and axonal degeneration after C1-C2 cervical centesis in 2 horses.

Ultrasound-guided cervical centesis has gained popularity as a method for collecting cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from standing horses. There are anecdotal reports of neck stiffness, regional swelling, sensitivity to palpation, and fever after the procedure. We report 2 horses with complications that occurred within days of C1-C2 centesis and ultimately resulted in euthanasia. Both C1-C2 centesis were performed routinely, with CSF cytologic analysis providing no evidence of blood contamination. Post-mortem examination revealed equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy as the primary disorder causing Horse 1's initial neurologic deficits, whereas Horse 2 did not have a distinct lesion explaining the horse's deficits. Both horses had evidence of subarachnoid hemorrhage at or near the centesis site with Wallerian axonal degeneration in the cranial cervical spinal cord. Although hemorrhage with associated axonal degeneration at the cervical centesis site appears to be rare, this complication of C1-C2 centesis should be considered as this technique gains popularity.

Eastern, Western, and Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis and West Nile Viruses: Clinical and Public Health Considerations.

The continued recognition and emergence of alphavirus and flavivirus diseases is a growing veterinary and public health concern. As the global environment continues to change, mosquito-borne diseases will continue to evolve and expand. Continued development of readily available vaccines for the prevention of these diseases in humans and animals is essential to controlling epizootics of these diseases. Further research into effective antiviral treatments is also sorely needed. This article describes equine encephalitis viruses with a focus on clinical and public health considerations.

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of oral and intravenous metoprolol tartrate in clinically healthy horses.

Cardiac drugs with defined pharmacological parameters in horses are limited. The objective of this study was to characterize the pharmacokinetic properties and cardiovascular effects of intravenous and oral metoprolol tartrate (MET) in horses. In a 2-period randomized cross-over design, MET was administered IV (0.04 mg/kg) and PO (6 mg/kg) once to six healthy adult horses. Horses were monitored via continuous telemetry and non-invasive blood pressure (NIBP). Blood samples were serially collected for 72 h post-administration, and concentrations were determined by LC-MS/MS. Pharmacokinetics were modeled using a 3-compartment model and non-linear least squares regression. Median (range) MET concentration was 110 (40.1-197) ng/ml collected 1 min (0.0167 h) after a bolus IV administration. Maximum concentration (Cmax ) after PO administration was 2135 (1590-4170) ng/ml at 0.5 (0.25-0.5) hours. Oral bioavailability was 54% (17-100%). Median apparent volume of distribution was 0.39 (0.17-0.58) l/kg, clearance was 12.63 (11.41-18.94) ml/kg/min, and elimination half-life was 21.1 (7.46-34.36) minutes. No clinically relevant effects of IV or PO metoprolol were noted on cardiac rhythm or NIBP. Sweating was the most common side effect. The metoprolol doses used in this study achieve plasma concentrations reported to achieve ß-blockade in humans.

Cryotherapy Techniques: Best Protocols to Support the Foot in Health and Disease.

Treatment of equine laminitis continues to be a challenge despite recent advancements in knowledge of the pathophysiology of laminitis. With more evidence supporting its use, distal limb hypothermia or cryotherapy has become a standard of care for both prevention of laminitis and treatment of the early stages of acute laminitis. Recent studies have demonstrated that cryotherapy reduces the severity of sepsis-related laminitis and hyperinsulinemic laminitis in experimental models and reduces the incidence of laminitis in clinical colitis cases. This article reviews the recent literature supporting the use of distal limb cryotherapy in horses.

Clinical performance of a commercially available thymidine kinase 1 assay for diagnosis of lymphoma in 42 hospitalized horses (2017-2020).

BACKGROUND: Antemortem definitive diagnosis of lymphoma in horses is often difficult. Thymidine kinase 1 (TK1) assay is a potentially useful biomarker for lymphoma in horses. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: To report the clinical performance of a commercially available TK1 assay for diagnosis of lymphoma in horses. We hypothesized that there would be no association between serum TK1 activity and a diagnosis of lymphoma in horses. ANIMALS: Forty-two hospitalized horses, 14 with a definitive diagnosis of lymphoma, 4 with other neoplasia, and 24 with inflammatory disease. METHODS: Retrospective medical record review, groups were compared via Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests, and logistic regression was performed. RESULTS: Median (range) TK1 was 3 U/L (0.4-17.7 U/L) in horses with lymphoma and 3.9 U/L (0.8-94 U/L) in horses without lymphoma (P = .59). There was no significant difference in total protein between horses with and without lymphoma (6.6 g/dL [5.5-8.3 g/dL] vs 6.6 g/dL [4.7-10.4 g/dL]; P = .83). There was no significant difference in fibrinogen between horses with and without lymphoma (447 [100-1364] mg/dL vs 433 [291-2004] mg/dL; P = .47). On logistic regression, serum TK1 activity was not associated with a diagnosis of lymphoma (odds ratio, 0.97; 95% confidence interval, 0.9-1.05, P = .48). CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Serum TK1 values were not predictive of lymphoma diagnosis in this cohort of horses.

Risk factors for laminitis and nonsurvival in acute colitis: Retrospective study of 85 hospitalized horses (2011-2019).

BACKGROUND: Acute colitis is a serious cause of morbidity and death in horses. Recent studies have compared clinical features of coronavirus and salmonellosis, but no study has compared clinical features of enteric salmonellosis, coronavirus, and neorickettsiosis. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: To identify risk factors for laminitis and nonsurvival to discharge in horses with enteric salmonellosis, coronavirus, or neorickettsiosis. ANIMALS: Eighty-five horses hospitalized for acute colitis from 2011 to 2019. METHODS: Retrospective case series. Medical record review (2011-2019) of adult (≥2 years) horses with colitis. Primary outcomes were laminitis and survival to discharge. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to assess association between variables and the development of laminitis. Stepwise Cox regression was performed to assess association between variables and survival. RESULTS: Seventeen of 85 (20%) horses developed laminitis during hospitalization. Neorickettsiosis cases (11/26, 42%) were more likely to develop laminitis than coronavirus (0/16, 0%) cases (odds ratio [OR] 24.48; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.33-451.74, P = .03). There was no significant difference in laminitis between salmonellosis and neorickettsiosis cases (OR 0.27; 95% CI: 0.07-1.07, P = .06). Admission heart rate (OR 1.08; 95% CI: 1.02-1.15, P = .01), total solids (OR 0.17; 95% CI: 0.06-0.54, P = .003), band neutrophils (OR 1248.47; 95% CI: 6.62-235 540, P = .008), and bicarbonate concentration (OR 0.68; 95% CI: 0.5-0.92, P = .01) were predictive of development of laminitis during hospitalization. Sixty-three of 85 (74%) horses survived to discharge: 16/16 (100%) coronavirus cases, 17/26 (65%) neorickettsiosis cases, 14/20 (70%) salmonellosis cases, and 16/23 (70%) unknown cases. Packed cell volume (hazard ratio [HR] 1.17; 95% CI: 1.09-1.26, P < .001), L-lactate concentration (HR 1.33; 95% CI: 1.14-1.55, P < .001), and development of laminitis (HR 7.07; 95% CI: 1.67-29.95, P = .008) were retained in the final multivariable model for prediction of nonsurvival to discharge. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Nonsurvival and laminitis rates were high, likely related to the presence of neorickettsiosis in the region.

Utility of cell-free DNA concentrations and illness severity scores to predict survival in critically ill neonatal foals.

Plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) levels have been associated with disease and survival status in septic humans and dogs. To date, studies investigating cfDNA levels in association with critical illness in foals are lacking. We hypothesized that cfDNA would be detectable in the plasma of foals, that septic and sick-nonseptic foals would have significantly higher cfDNA levels compared to healthy foals, and that increased cfDNA levels would be associated with non-survival. Animals used include 80 foals of 10 days of age or less admitted to a tertiary referral center between January and July, 2020 were stratified into three categories: healthy (n = 34), sick non-septic (n = 11) and septic (n = 35) based on specific criteria. This was a prospective clinical study. Blood was collected from critically ill foals at admission or born in hospital for cfDNA quantification and blood culture. Previously published sepsis score (SS) and neonatal SIRS score (NSIRS) were also calculated. SS, NSIRS, blood culture status and cfDNA concentrations were evaluated to predict survival. Continuous variables between groups were compared using Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA with Dunn's post hoc test. Comparisons between two groups were assessed using the Mann-Whitney U-test or Spearman rank for correlations. The performance of cfDNA, sepsis score and NSIRS score to predict survival was assessed by receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis including area under the curve, sensitivity and specificity using cutoffs. Plasma cfDNA was detectable in all foals. No significant differences in cfDNA concentration were detected between healthy foals and septic foals (P = 0.65) or healthy foals and sick non-septic foals (P = 0.88). There was no significant association between cfDNA and culture status, SS, NSIRS or foal survival. SS (AUC 0.85) and NSIRS (AUC 0.83) were superior to cfDNA (AUC 0.64) in predicting survival. Although cfDNA was detectable in foal plasma, it offers negligible utility to diagnose sepsis or predict survival in critical illness in neonates.

A nonsense variant in Rap Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor 5 (RAPGEF5) is associated with equine familial isolated hypoparathyroidism in Thoroughbred foals.

Idiopathic hypocalcemia in Thoroughbred (TB) foals causes tetany and seizures and is invariably fatal. Based upon the similarity of this disease with human familial hypoparathyroidism and occurrence only in the TB breed, we conducted a genetic investigation on two affected TB foals. Familial hypoparathyroidism was identified, and pedigree analysis suggested an autosomal recessive (AR) mode of inheritance. We performed whole-genome sequencing of the two foals, their unaffected dams and four unaffected, unrelated TB horses. Both homozygosity mapping and an association analysis were used to prioritize potential genetic variants. Of the 2,808 variants that significantly associated with the phenotype using an AR mode of inheritance (P<0.02) and located within a region of homozygosity, 1,507 (54%) were located in a 9.7 Mb region on chr4 (44.9-54.6 Mb). Within this region, a nonsense variant (RAPGEF5 c.2624C>A,p.Ser875*) was significantly associated with the hypoparathyroid phenotype (Pallelic = 0.008). Affected foals were homozygous for the variant, with two additional affected foals subsequently confirmed in 2019. Necropsies of all affected foals failed to identify any histologically normal parathyroid glands. Because the nonsense mutation in RAPGEF5 was near the C-terminal end of the protein, the impact on protein function was unclear. Therefore, we tested the variant in our Xenopus overexpression model and demonstrated RAPGEF5 loss-of-function. This RAPGEF5 variant represents the first genetic variant for hypoparathyroidism identified in any domestic animal species.

Refeeding syndrome in small ruminants receiving parenteral nutrition.

BACKGROUND: Small ruminants presented to tertiary care facilities commonly suffer from severe protein-calorie malnutrition. Some of these patients require parenteral nutrition (PN; amino acids and dextrose with or without lipids) during hospitalization. Refeeding syndrome, a potentially fatal shift of electrolytes seen in malnourished patients during refeeding, may occur. OBJECTIVE: (a) To report the prevalence of refeeding syndrome in small ruminants receiving PN and (b) to determine risk factors for the development of refeeding syndrome. ANIMALS: Hospitalized small ruminants (n = 20) that received PN from 2010 to 2018 and that had serial (≥2) monitoring of serum electrolyte concentrations after initiation of PN. METHODS: Retrospective case series. Refeeding syndrome was defined as the presence of at least 2 of the following electrolyte abnormalities after initiation of PN: hypophosphatemia, hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia, or some combination of these. Data was analyzed using Fisher's exact test, followed by univariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Eleven of 20 (55%) animals met the definition of refeeding syndrome. Mean minimum serum phosphorus concentration in animals with refeeding syndrome was 1.96 ± 0.69 mg/dL (reference range, 4.2-7.6 mg/dL). Eleven of 20 animals survived to discharge. Survival rate did not differ significantly between refeeding cases (4/11, 36.3%) and nonrefeeding cases (7/9, 77.8%; P = .09). Mean serum phosphorus concentration was significantly lower in nonsurvivors than in survivors (1.88 ± 0.10 mg/dL vs 4.32 ± 0.70 mg/dL, P = .006). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: We report the prevalence of refeeding syndrome in small ruminants receiving PN. Clinicians should anticipate refeeding syndrome after initiation of PN and consider pre-emptive supplementation with phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, or some combination of these.

Electrolyte measurement in goats: Comparison of 2 blood gas analyzers and evaluation of the preanalytical blood sample preparation on measurement results.

OBJECTIVE: 1) To evaluate agreement for electrolyte measurements in goats between a handheld point-of-care analyzer (Abaxis VetScan i-STAT 1) (POC) and a benchtop blood gas analyzer (Opti CCA-TS2) (VBG) and 2) to evaluate effect of sample type on electrolytes values reported by both analyzers. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In 21 hospitalized caprine patients and 9 healthy research goats, blood samples were collected into heparin-containing tubes (Sodium Heparin 33 IU/2 ml) (TUBE) and a heparinized syringe (Sodium Heparin 430 IU/ml) (SYRINGE). Samples were analyzed using a POC analyzer as well as VBG. Analyzer results were compared using Bland-Altman analysis and Pearson correlation. Comparison between samples was performed using repeated measures ANOVA. RESULTS: Between analyzers, TUBE yielded a bias (95 % limits of agreement) of 0.07 mmol/l (-4.37 to 4.52) for sodium, while SYRINGE yielded a bias of -6.13 mmol/l (-11.04 to -1.22). Comparison of potassium yielded a bias of 0.09 mmol/l (-0.5 to 0.67) and 0.08 mmol/l (-0.4 to 0.56) for TUBE and SYRINGE, respectively. Comparison of ionized calcium showed a bias of 0.05 mmol/l (0.01-0.1) and -0.02 mmol/l (-0.18 to 0.14) for TUBE and SYRINGE, respectively. Between sample types, the POC yielded a bias of 5.13 mmol/l (0.18-10.09) for sodium, 0.04 mmol/l (-0.12 to 0.2) for potassium, and 0.40 mmol/l (0.12-0.68) for ionized calcium. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The POC exhibited clinically negligible bias for electrolyte analysis as compared to VBG. Ionized calcium concentrations were lower in self-prepared heparinized syringes than in heparin-containing tubes, suggesting an effect of heparin concentration on ionized calcium.

Glucose and insulin response after intravenous and subcutaneous somatostatin administration in healthy horses.

Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) is prevalent in the equine population, and somatostatin analogs might be useful for diagnosis and/or treatment of EMS in horses. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the glucose and insulin responses to subcutaneous and intravenous administration of somatostatin. Six healthy research horses were included in this prospective study. An initial pilot study was performed to assess several different doses (10-22 µg/kg [4.5-10 µg/lb]) in two horses, then a final dosage of 22 µg/kg (10 µg/lb) was administered to six horses IV and SQ in a two-period randomized cross-over study performed over a 3-month study period. Blood samples were collected for measurement of plasma insulin and glucose concentrations during a 24-hr study period. Both IV and SQ somatostatin resulted in decreased insulin and increased glucose concentrations. SQ somatostatin resulted in a longer clinical effect, with return to baseline insulin occurring at 1.5 hr postadministration, versus 45 min for IV. Both IV and SQ administration of somatostatin to normal horses resulted in decreased insulin and increased glucose concentrations, likely due to suppression of insulin secretion by somatostatin. A more prolonged effect was seen following SQ administration as compared to IV administration, and no adverse effects were noted at varying doses. This study provides additional information regarding the effect of somatostatin administration on insulin and glucose concentrations in clinically healthy horses.

Pyrethroid toxicity in a Vietnamese pot-bellied pig.

A 7-month-old spayed female Vietnamese pot-bellied pig (VPBP) was presented for diffuse muscle fasciculations and seizure-like activity that had started 4 hours before presentation. The pig was stuporous and displayed diffuse involuntary gross motor movement and muscle fasciculations, as well as hypertonicity of all 4 limbs. Hematologic analysis revealed hemoconcentration, severe hyperlactatemia, moderate metabolic acidosis, increased creatine kinase and gamma-glutamyltransferase. The pig failed to respond to diazepam, propofol, methocarbamol, and supportive care, followed by general anesthesia, and was euthanized. Bifenthrin, a pyrethroid insecticide, was identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of stomach contents. Pyrethroid insecticide toxicity in VPBP may result in clinical signs similar to those seen in companion animals.

Toxicité pyréthroïde chez un Cochon vietnamien. Une truie stérilisée Cochon vietnamien (CV) âgée de 7 mois a été présentée pour des fasciculations des muscles diffus et une activité s'apparentant à des crises d'épilepsie qui avaient commencé 4 heures avant la présentation. Le cochon était stuporeux et manifestait des mouvements moteurs diffus et des fasciculations musculaires involontaires ainsi que de l'hypertonicité des quatre membres. Une analyse hématologique a révélé l'hémoconcentration, une hyperlactatémie grave, une acidose métabolique modérée, une kinase de créatine et une gamma-glutamyltransférase élevées. Le cochon n'a pas répondu au diazépam, au propofol, au méthocarbamol et à des soins de soutien suivis de l'anesthésie générale et a été euthanasié. Le bifenthrine, un insecticide de pyréthroide, a été identifié par chromatographie en phase gazeuse et spectométrie de masse du contenu de l'estomac. La toxicité de l'insecticide de pyréthroïde chez le Cochon vietnamien peut donner des signes cliniques semblables à ceux observés chez les animaux de compagnie.(Traduit par Isabelle Vallières).

Equine eosinophilic keratoconjunctivitis in California: retrospective study of 47 eyes from 29 cases (1993-2017).

OBJECTIVE: (a) To evaluate the epidemiology of equine eosinophilic keratoconjunctivitis (EK) in the western United States, (b) to ascertain the efficacy of keratectomy and diamond burr debridement vs medical management alone, (c) to determine the efficacy of various medical therapies, and (d) to further characterize the histopathologic findings of the disease in horses. ANIMALS STUDIED: Twenty-nine horses (47 eyes) diagnosed with EK from 1993 to 2017. PROCEDURE: Retrospective medical record review; owner questionnaire. RESULTS: Average age of presentation was 11 ± 4 years. Warmbloods were significantly overrepresented (P = 0.024). Twenty horses were treated with medical therapy alone, five were treated with superficial lamellar keratectomy, and four were treated with diamond burr debridement. Follow-up data were available for 38 eyes of 23 horses. Median time to resolution for horses treated with either superficial keratectomy or diamond burr debridement (62 days) was not statistically significantly different from those that underwent medical therapy alone (46 days; P = 0.33). Eyes treated with topical steroids had a statistically significant longer median time to resolution (61 days) compared to those that did not receive topical steroid (44 days; P = 0.023). Common histopathologic findings in keratectomy samples included the presence of eosinophils, vascularization, and an eosinophilic membrane spanning areas of ulceration. CONCLUSION: In this population, time to EK resolution was similar for horses treated with medical and surgical management. The use of topical steroids was associated with a prolonged time to resolution. Keratectomy samples from horses with EK had similar findings to those reported in other species.