Keurmerk Paard en Welzijn

Het welzijn van dieren staat momenteel volop in de belangstelling. Ook in de paardenhouderij wordt terecht steeds meer gelet op de welzijnsaspecten. Paarden worden gehouden voor vele doeleinden, maar de basisbehoeften van een paard worden daardoor niet anders. Om het welzijn van paarden in Nederland verder te verbeteren is het afgelopen jaar hard gewerkt om het Keurmerk Paard en Welzijn (KPW) breder uit te rollen

Glucose homeostasis and the enteroinsular axis in the horse a possible role in equine metabolic syndrome

One of the principal components of equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) is hyperinsulinaemia combined with insulin resistance. It has long been known that hyperinsulinaemia occurs after the development of insulin resistance. But it is also known that hyperinsulinaemia itself can induce insulin resistance and obesity and might play a key role in the development of metabolic syndrome. This review focuses on the physiology of glucose and insulin metabolism and the pathophysiological mechanisms in glucose homeostasis in the horse (compared with what is already known in humans) in order to gain insight into the pathophysiological principles underlying EMS. The review summarizes new insights on the oral uptake of glucose by the gut and the enteroinsular axis, the role of diet in incretin hormone and postprandial insulin responses, the handling of glucose by the liver, muscle and fat tissue, and the production and secretion of insulin by the pancreas under healthy and disrupted glucose homeostatic conditions in horses

Equine gastric ulcer syndrome in adult horses

Many domesticated horses have gastric ulcers which can be diagnosed and graded during gastroscopy. A distinction should be made between equine squamous gastric disease (ESGD), which is caused by exposure of the mucosa to acid, and equine glandular gastric disease (EGGD), thought to occur when mucosal defence mechanisms are compromised. Horses with gastric ulcers may, but do not always, show clinical signs such as poor appetite, mild colic, discomfort during girthing, behavioural changes and reduced performance. The mainstay of treatment is blocking acid production using the proton pump inhibitor omeprazole. Treatment is usually successful in cases of ESGD, but less so for EGGD, where treatment duration is longer and for which sucralfate may be added or alternatives necessary, such as misoprostol, a prostaglandin analogue. To prevent recurrence of ulcers known risk factors, such as high concentrate diets, intense exercise and stress should be avoided or minimized

Dermatographism in a horse, responsive to cetirizine treatment

Dermatographism is a common condition in man that occurs when pressure is applied to the skin and mast cells are triggered to release histamine, causing local urticarial lesions. This case report concerns a 4‐year‐old Quarter Horse gelding that was presented with pressure induced urticaria. Moderate pressure on the skin induced nonpruritic urticaria‐like swelling after approximately 3–5 min, which lasted for approximately 2–3 h. Initial treatment with cyproheptadine gave an incomplete response and unacceptable sedation as a side effect. On the second generation antihistamine cetirizine (0.2 mg/kg bwt twice daily), dermatographism was no longer present and no side effects occurred. Treatment was continued for 4 months, with at least three attempts to discontinue therapy resulting in recurrence of lesions within 24 h. Lesions resolved each time within 24 h of recommencing therapy. Dermatographism did not recur after the horse was moved to another location despite discontinuation of therapy. This report describes a case of equine dermatographism responsive to cetirizine

The use of cola for the treatment of gastric impactions in equids

Gastric impactions are an uncommon cause of colic in horses, although they appear to occur more often in Friesians. The administration of cola via nasogastric tube to resolve impactions has been described, but the efficacy of this treatment has not been reported. The aim of the present study was to compare the success of treatment of gastric impactions with and without the use of cola and to determine whether Friesians are more often affected by gastric impactions than other breeds. For this retrospective descriptive case series, patient records were retrieved (2003-2019) and 125 horses with gastric impactions identified. The outcome, defined as discharge from the hospital, was compared between horses that were treated with cola and those that were not. The percentage of Friesians in the group of horses with gastric impactions was compared to that in the population admitted to our clinic and treatment success in Friesians was compared to that in other breeds. Overall 72/125 (57.6%) horses with gastric impactions were discharged from the hospital, but the likelihood of survival was significantly greater for horses treated with cola (48/58 = 82.8% vs. 24/67 = 35.8%, P<0.001). In 66 cases in which the impaction was resolved an estimate was made of the number of days taken for this to occur. The average time until resolution was 2.6 days (range 1-11). Of the 125 horses with gastric impactions 39 (31.2%) were Friesians, a significantly higher percentage than in our hospital population (9.4%, P<0.001). Also, Friesians treated with cola were less likely to survive (12/18 = 66.7%) than other breeds (36/40 = 90%, P=0.03). In conclusion gastric impactions in horses are more likely to be resolved when treatment includes the nasogastric administration of cola. Friesian horses are more likely to develop gastric impactions than other breeds and less likely to survive

Cutaneous mastocytoma with eosinophilia and eosinophilic infiltration of the small intestine in an Arabian gelding

A 12-year-old Arabian gelding presented to the University of Adelaide for investigation of a firm subcutaneous mass, just proximal to the digital flexor tendon sheath of the right forelimb, that had appeared two weeks prior. The skin overlying the mass was intact. Fine needle aspiration identified eosinophilic and mastocytic infiltrates. One week later, the gelding re-presented for persistent colic signs. Blood examination showed eosinophilia, and on palpation per rectum the mesenteric root was very firm and enlarged and a number of small intestinal loops had subjectively thickened walls. Colic signs were unabated by the administration of pain relief. The owner declined surgery and the gelding was euthanased. Postmortem examination confirmed a diagnosis of cutaneous mastocytoma and revealed eosinophilic infiltration of the small intestine