Equine Flashcards
(212 cards)
predisposition of colic
: neonatate (entercolitis, meconium retention), geriatric (strangulating pedcunculated lipoma, large colon impaction), pregnant mares (uterine torsion, large colon displacement/volvulis)…
signalment of colic
age, gender, breed
cause of colic
gut “spasm” resulting from a change in diet/routine
twisting of a part of the intestine with consequent strangulation of its blood supply.
Can be impaction, parasites, high in grain, dental issues, feed that is mouldy, dehydration, ingesting sand, NSAID over time
signs of colic
respiration: tachypnoea = pain, enlarge nostrils
- bloating, distress, agitation, sweating, stretching, sitting, lack of movement sounds in gut
- mild = dullness, curling up of top lip, straining to urinate
- severe = can cause horse to roll and throw itself about in an uncontrolled and dangerous manner
mild dehydration
- bright/quiet, responsive, HR <48bpm, MM pink, tachy, warm extremities, good jugular refill
moderate dehydration and hypovolemia
- quiet but alert and responsive, HR 62-76bpm, MM variable, tachy to dry, cooler extremities, slow jugular refill, pulse quality variable
severe dehydration and hypovolemic shock
- dull mentation, Hr 8-012bpm, dry/pale MM, cool extremities, peripheral pulse difficult to palpate
diagnosis of colic
- Probing = 5-10x check for fluid, empty the tube and kink it, slowly pull out the tube
Abdominocentesis
- most ventral part of abdomen to the right
- 18G needle, EDTA tube, biochemical test tube, teat cannula
FLASH – fast localised abdominal sonography of the horse
- shortened exam
- 7 key abdominal windows
- final diagnosis made with US
- patient monitoring
US = peritonitis, hemoperitoneum, diaphragmatic hernia, masses, urolithiasis
Lab work = 1st evaluation
- haematological examination = haematocrit, leucocytosis/leukopenia
- biochemistry = urea, creatinine, glucose, TP, albumin
- acid – base status and electrolytes
Lactate
- transition of aerobic to anaerobic metabolism
- decreased renal excretion due to hypoperfusion
Endoscopy – gastroscopy
- oesophagus, stomach, proximal duodenum,
rectum
- fasting 8-12 hr before procedure
- sedation
- through ventral nasal passage, 3 m long endoscope
Faecal tests = parasitology + bacteriology (salmonellosis, clostridiosis)
treatment for colic
Medical therapy
- treat visceral pain, re-establish bowel passage, establish acid-base balance, walking
- rehydrate horse, treat endotoxemia, bacterial/parasitic infection
- analgesic, liquid, mineral oil and laxative
- NSAID
o meloxicam, firocoxib, flunixin-meglumine, metamizole sodium
o complication: kidney tubule necrosis, ulceration of the stomach + damage to the MM of the jejunum and colon
- a2, a2 adrenergic agonist
o inability to cure pain with flunixin
o xylazine, detomidine reduce intestinal motility
- Opoiod analgetic
o morphine, buprenorphine, butorphanol = reduce intestinal motility, excitation
- Spasmium
o spasmolytic and analgetic 0.2mg/kg IV, shortened tachycardia, combined with NSAIDs, metamizole sodium
- Laxative
Surgical management
Nasogastric intubation
- in every horse, immediately on admission
- transparent tubes of multiple sizes, 2 buckets of water
- pH measurements + preparing the horse, sedation
- ventral nasal passage to the pharynx, ventroflexion of the neck, push the tube in when swallowed, turning and blowing in the probe
prognosis of colic
guarded
simple oesophageal obstruction predisposition
freisians
cause of simple oesophageal obstruction
ingestion of material that when swallowed, becomes impacted in the oesophagus + doesn’t pass into stomach
signs of simple oesophageal obstruction
passage of ingesta and saliva down the nostrils, coughing, stretching of the neck, pain and distress, dysphagia,
diagnosis of simple ossophageal obstruction
- resentment of cranial oesophageal palpation
- may be obvious swelling
- resistance to passage of nasogastric tube
treatment of simple oesophageal obstruction
- heavy sedation and lavage via nasogastric tube
- broad spectrum ATB
- maintain soft diet for 7 days post relief of obstruction
prognosis of simple oesophageal obstruction
mostly good, but depends on severity of the impaction
differential of simple oesophageal obstruction
oral foreign bodies, dysphagia due to neurological disease, periodontal disease, periodontal
retropharygneal abscesation (strangles) predisposition
all ages – young and elderly at risk of severe disease , poor condition + genera management and general stress factors
cause of strangles
strep eqiu
signs of strangles
dysphagia, cough, dyspnoea, lymphadenitis, pyrexia, retropharyngeal pain and swelling, maybe guttural pouch involvement/ subcutaneous emphysema
diagnosis of strangles
history of colic/nasogastric intubation, endoscopy or radiography, bacteriology, CBC (maybe leukocytes, neutrophils), biochemistry (plasma: fibrinogen)
treatment of strangles
attempt to establish drainage, may require tracheotomy, total parenteral nutrition, attempt to gauge severity of trauma and lesions size before starting
prognosis of strangles
poor
expected sequelae of strangles
dysphagia, fasciitis, aspiration pneumonia, sepsis, potential for mediastinitis, similar signs to oesophageal rupture
recurrent oesophageal obstruction (signs, diagnosis, treatment)
Signs: recurrent bouts of choke, tends to deteriorate with age in congenital cases due to poor wall tone
Diagnosis: endoscopy, double contrast oesophageal and radiographic investigation of aspiration
Treatment: cervical pulsatile diverticula can be repaired surgically, can empty manually In some horses, dietary management only for large diverticuli at thoracic inlet
equine gastric disroder
Parasitic infection: gasterophilus larvae
Dysmotility: equine dysautonomia, acute gastric dilatation, gastric impaction, chronic gastric dilatation
Ulcerative: equine gastric ulceration syndrome, perforation and rupture
Neoplastic: squamous cell carcinoma
Inflammatory: inflammatory polyps, glandular ulceration and gastritis
Acute gastric distension: acute colic, possible rupture, peristonitis, endotoxemia
Chronic gastric distension: weight loss and reduced rate of feed intake, increased water intake, recurrent mild colic
Chronic inflammation: may be symptom free, progressing to acute colic, change in dietary preference
Chronic ulceration: loss of performance, decreased forward movement, anterior abdominal pain
acute gastric dilation predisposition
sporadic