Equine Flashcards
in “choke” most obstructions occur in the _________
proximal esophagus
What are some potential causes of esophageal obstruction? (4)
- hay, pellets, cubes
- beet pulp (if not moistened prior to feeding)
- foreign bodies (apples, potatoes)
- rapid consumption without adequate chewing (eating too fast)
Clinical signs of equine esophageal obstruction (5)
- distress
- head extension
- salivation
- nasal discharge (food/saliva)
- lethargy, dehydration
- +/- abnormal lung sounds
Tests/signs used for diagnosis of esophageal obstruction (5)
- history and CS
- esophageal palpation
- resistance upon passage of a nasogastric tube
- endoscopy
- radiography
treatment of esophageal obstruction (3)
- sedation (xylazine or detomidine, butorphanol)
- gentle passage of a stomach tube
- esophageal relaxation (Buscopan, oxytocin, lidocaine)
How does sedation help reduce the risk of aspiration pneumonia in a choke?
sedating the animal appropriately will help to lower the head below the withers, gravity will cause any reflux to be more likely to drain out the nose rather than into the lungs
3 potential drug choices for sedating a choke
- xylazine
- detomidine
- butorphanol
3 potential drug choices for esophageal relaxation (choke treatment)
- Buscopan
- oxytocin
- lidocaine
Management of a choke once the obstruction has been cleared (4)
- analgesia (NSAIDS)
- slow return to normal diet (gruel, slow down bolt feeders)
- exclusion of underlying causes (dental exam, +/- endoscopy for repeat offenders)
- treatment/prevention of pneumonia (antibiotics)
Potential complications of choke (4)
- laryngeal hemiplagia (impingement on the recurrent laryngeal nerve from a longstanding obstruction)
- esophageal erosion
- esophageal eruption
- feed/saliva in the trachea (aspiration pneumonia)
What is a potential cause of esophageal obstruction that doesn’t originate from foreign material ingestion?
esophageal neoplasia (tumors projecting into esophageal lumen)
________________ is a catch all term for abdominal pain
colic
Basic mechanisms of GI pain (4)
distension of a viscus
- traction on the mesentery
- ischemia
- inflammation
Primary questions for every colic evaluation
Can pain be controlled?
Is the problem in the SI or LI?
Is it likely strangulating or non-strangulating?
Is surgery likely indicated?
Prognosis? (Is immediated euthanasia indicated?)
____________ is the most common ‘quadrant’ type of colic
LI non-strangulating
2 most prevelant causes of the most common type of colic
- gas/spasmodic
- large colon impaction
T/F
80-85% of colics will resolve in the field with one treatment
T
Subtle clinical signs of colic (3)
- anorexia
- lying down more than usual
- decreased fecal production
Moderate CS of colic (4)
- pawing
- stretching
- flank watching
- abdominal distension
Severe CS of colic (4)
- rolling
- thrashing
- becoming cast
- facial abrasions
Important characteristics of pain upon colic presentation (6)
- duration
- persistence
- severity
- response to analgesics
- breed, age, and individual variability
- severe pain replaced by depression (major concern)
Should temperature be taken before or after the retal exam?
before
4 characteristics you should evaluate the mucous membranes for
- color
- moisture
- CRT
- is a toxic line present?
What is the most important characteristic of gut sounds in a colic?
Whether or not they are present (complete absence of sounds is important)
What is Borborygmi?
gut sounds
4 questions you want to answer with your rectal palpation
Distension, yes or no?
SI or LI?
Gas, fluid, feed?
Masses?
___________ is one of the “few life saving things we can do” in a colic evaluation and should be performed on EVERY moderate to severely painful colic
nasogastric intubation
with a colic, >_____L net reflux is significant, and if you have >____L of net reflux you should consider leaving the tube in place
- 2-3 L
- 5L
When is radiography helpful in colic diagnosis?
When minerals are involved (sand, enteroliths)
3 types of imaging used in colic diagnosis
- transabdominal US
- rads
- endoscopy
When should abdominocentesis not be performed on a colic?
When the results will not influence the course of treatment
What is abdominocentesis typically used for in a colic work-up?
to differentiate between SI strangulating and non-strangulating
Does normal fluid from abdominocentesis rule out strangulation?
no
What characteristics are you using to interpret abdominocentesis? (4)
- gross appearance
- odor
- lactate levels
- cytological examination
peritoneal fluid lactate levels >2x that of plasma are indicative of what?
strangulation
Abdominal fluid should not contain _________, should have WBC values between ________-_________, and should have a protein value < ____ g/dL
- blood
- WBC: 5,000-10,000 cells/uL
- <2 g/dL
2 initial therapies for a colic
- analgesic therapy: drugs and gastric decompression (relieve pressure)
- fluid therapy
Analgesic/Sedative options for colic therapy (4)
- NSAIDs
- alpha2-agonists
- opiods
- Buscopan
2 route options for fluid therapy
- enteral
- IV
CS of “mild” Dehydration (4-6%)
- CRT
- MM
- Skin tent
- PCV%
- TS (g/dL)
- 1-2s
- fair
- 2-3s
- 40-50
- 6.5-7.5
CS of “moderate” Dehydration (7-9%)
- CRT
- MM
- Skin tent
- PCV%
- TS (g/dL)
- 2-4s
- tacky
- 3-5s
- 50-60
- 7.5-8.5
CS of “severe” Dehydration (>10%)
- CRT
- MM
- Skin tent
- PCV%
- TS (g/dL)
- >4s
- dry
- >5s
- >65
- >8.5
When are enteral fluids contraindicated in a colic?
when there is >2-3 L of reflux
Laxative options for colic (3)
- psyllium
- mineral oil
- MgSO4
General protocol for enteral fluid administration?
6-8L every 2-6 h
When are IV fluids indicated for a colic? (3)
- reflux
- severe pain
- substantial dehydration
EGUS stands for ____________
Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome
2 sub-categories of EGUS
- equine squamous gastric ulcer disease
- equine glandular gastric disease
Diagnosis of gastric ulcers
- CS and response to treatment
- gastroscopy (determine squamous v. glandular)
4 risk factors for squamous gastric ulcers
- diet
- exercise
- environment
- NSAIDs
Risk factors for glandular gastric ulcers?
largely unknown
_______ is the only thing labeled for treatment of gastric ulcer disease in the US
Omeprazole
Which is more difficult to treat, squamous or glandular gastric ulcers?
glandular
What is the difference for treatment of squamous gastric ulcers vs. glandular?
longer duration of therapy for glandular ulcers and typically add sucralfate
Which colic category has the best prognosis? Which has the worst?
- best: LI non-strangulating
- worst: SI strangulating
Non-strangulating causes of colic (3)
- intraluminal obstructions
- large colon displacements
- gas/spasmodic colic
5 examples of intraluminal impactions which may cause colic
- gastric impaction (rare)
- ileal impaction
- cecal impaction
- large (ascending) colon impaction
- small colon impaction
What form of colic occurs almost exclusively in the southeastern US and what are its risk factors (3)?
Ileal impaction
- feeding Coastal Bermuda grass hay (often after introduction of a new round bale)
- tapeworms
- cold weather (decreased drinking and more likely to be eating hay and not fresh grass)
Clinical findings of an ileal impaction
- moderate, potentially severe pain
- distended SI on rectal
- Reflux: initially none, but may develop when fluid distends the entire SI
- Peritoneal fluid: typically normal, may have slight/mod increase in TS, lactate similar to plasma
Treatment for ileal impaction
- gastric decompression
- withdrawal of feed and water
- analgesics
- IV fluid therapy
- +/- deworming for tapeworms
When should surgical intervention be considered for an ileal impaction?
- if no improvement within 24-36 hours
- abnormal peritoneal fluid
Prognosis for an ileal impaction?
good to excellent
2 risk factors for a cecal impaction
- broodmares near partruition
- recent general anesthesia
Clinical findings of a cecal impaction
- pain variable (often mild early)
- typically no net reflux
- peritoneal fluid typically normal
- Rectal findings: cecal distension, feed or fluid
T/F:
Rupture is a common complication of a cecal impaction
T
Treatment for cecal impaction
- early identification
- withdrawal of feed
- enteral laxatives
- IV fluids
- rupture is common, surgery is often required
Cecal impaction prognosis?
Guarded, likely improved with surgery
Most large colon impactions occur at the __________
pelvic flexure
Large colon impactions are typically caused by ________ or ________
- feed
- sand
Risk factors for large colon impaction (7)
- inadequate water intake (often associated with change in weather)
- ingestion of sand
- parasite burden
- poor dentition
- sudden stall confinement
- alternate source of pain (ocular/MS)
- coarse, poor quality roughage
Clinical signs of large colon impaction (6)
- mild to moderate pain
- decreased to absent fecal output
- ↓ gut sounds
- Rectal exam: impaction, variable gas distention
- variable reflux
- normal abdominal fluid
Large colon impaction treatment (4)
- withdrawal of feed
- pain management
- enteral fluids
- water/electrolytes
- lubricants/laxatives
- psyllium (if sand)
- IV fluids if reflux develops
Prognosis of large colon impaction?
very good
CS of small colon impaction (3)
- colic
- abdominal distension
- low volume diarrhea
small colon colic often presents during the _____ months
winter
Diagnosis of small colon impaction
rectal exam (often friable)
Small colon impaction prognosis
good
Enteroliths are primarily made of __________
magnesium ammonium phosphate (struvite)
Risk factors for enterolith development (4)
- Arabians
- horses >5 yo
- diet high in protein, Mg
- high colonic luminal pH
Enterolith frequency is variable by region, but particularly high in ________-
California
Clinical findings for enteroliths (3)
- intermittent mild-to-moderate pain
- typically normal rectal exam
- peritoneal fluid often normal
T/F: Absence of appearance on radiographs rules out the presence of an enterolith
False
What is the significance of a flat surface on an enterolith?
It means there are multiple stones present and they need to be accounted for during surgical extraction
treatment/prevention for enteroliths
- surgical removal
- restrict alfalfa (<50%)