Daily variability of forced oscillometry parameters in horses suffering recurrent airway obstruction, a pilot study

The aim of the study was to analyse the day-to-day variability of the respiratory resistance (R-rs) and the reactance (X-rs) in 5 horses in a status of remission of recurrent airway obstruction by forced oscillometry system (FOS). Furthermore, the effects of stabling, outdoor and room temperature and humidity on these parameters were determined. Mean R-rs at oscillation frequencies 1, 1.5, 2 and 3 Hz were all significantly higher in the morning than in the afternoon, while X-rs was not significantly affected by time of the day. R-rs was significantly different on various sampling days at all frequencies, in the morning as well as in the afternoon. X-rs showed the same significant differences for frequencies greater than 1 Hz. Overall, R-rs showed a smaller variability than X-rs. Neither outdoor temperature, nor room temperature affected R-rs. This also applied to X-rs except for the measurements at 2 Hz that were significantly (p = 0.044) affected by outdoor temperature. Turning out these horses at paddock for day and night caused a significant lower mean R-rs that when kept at stable for all night. While R-rs showed a very weak positive frequency dependency, X-rs clearly showed a positive frequency dependance for all horses. Resonance frequency (f(res)) was between 2 and 4 Hz. These studies showed that FOS generated parameters are affected by environmental and management factors and thus only after well-designed standardized procedures FOS could be a useful diagnostic tool for the diagnosis and monitoring of equine respiratory disorders

The coexistence of heart murmurs and arrhythmias in an equine hospital population - a retrospective study

This study was performed to characterize the coexistence of valvar insufficiencies of the mitral, tricuspid, aortic, and pulmonary valves and their possible association with atrial fibrillation in an equine clinic population. During an 11-year period, 348 horses had been examined for cardiac arrhythmias and suspected defects of the cardiac valves at the Vetmeduni Vienna, Austria. The study population included 256 male and 92 female horses. A subpopulation of 197 (57%) horses was identified with at least one valvular disorder. In these horses, mitral valve regurgitation (MR) was reported in 124 animals (63%), aortic valve regurgitation (AR) in 101 (51%), tricuspid regurgitation (TR) in 78 (39.6%), and pulmonary regurgitation (PR) in 17 animals (8.6%). Cardiac arrhythmias were found in 130 horses (37%). The horse types that were most frequently affected by a putative valve insufficiency were the warmbloods, followed by thoroughbreds. The prevalence of insufficiencies (46%) was highest among animals between 6 and 18 years of age. There was a significant negative relationship between the occurrence of MR and AR, and AR was also significantly negatively associated with TR. Atrial fibrillation (AF) and MR coexisted most often (10 out of 38), followed by TR (8 out of 38). Although these findings were significant for the subgroup with cardiac arrhythmias, they were not significant in connection with the entire population with cardiac problems. The results of the present study showed that risk factors for being diagnosed with MR are horse type, age, and sex. MR most often occurs as an isolated defect in horses and seldom occurs in combination with AR. Additionally, MR and TR are associated with AF

A Case Report: Colic Due to Jejuno-jejunal Intussusception in A Mare

This paper reports the clinical findings, the results of diagnostic imaging, the medical management, and the results of necropsy of a 2 year old Arabian mare suffering from jejuno-jejunal intussusception. Determining clinical parameters for the in-live diagnosis were the characteristic bull's eye appearance of a part of the small intestine at ultrasonography, tubular structures found at transrectal palpation and the abnormal peritoneal fluid obtained by abdominocentesis