Starry sky hepatic ultrasonographic pattern in horses.

The starry sky hepatic pattern is an unusual ultrasonographic appearance of equine liver characterized by numerous small, hyperechoic foci, some of which cast an acoustic shadow, distributed randomly throughout the hepatic parenchyma. Our objectives were to describe the signalment, clinical signs, clinicopathological findings, primary disease process, and ultrasonographic findings of horses with this ultrasonographic pattern, as well as determine the associated gross and histologic changes. The starry sky pattern was identified in 18 adult horses of mixed gender and breed.

Sonographic characteristics of intraabdominal abscessation and lymphadenopathy attributable to Rhodococcus equi infections in foals.

The sonographic characteristics of intraabdominal abscesses in 11 foals and intraabdominal lymphadenitis in five foals with Rhodococcus equi infections are presented. Intraabdominal abscesses were usually present in the ventral abdomen adjacent to the ventral body wall, well-marginated, and contained a mixed or complex echo pattern. Lymphadenitis appeared as singular or multiple clusters of lymph nodes of mixed echogenicity adjacent to any portion of the gastrointestinal tract or body wall.

Assessment of clinical reasoning skills in veterinary students prior to and after the clinical year of training.

Objective: To examine the effect of various clinical tracks within the veterinary medical clinical curriculum at Texas A&M University on clinical diagnostic proficiency as determined by pre- and post-training assessment. We expected that the clinical track chosen by the student would impact their measured outcome with bias toward higher scores in their chosen field.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Toxins affecting the urinary system.

Many different substances can induce toxic damage to various structural components of the equine kidney, and most lack pathognomonic signs. Some of these agents have specific treatments, although many do not. Supportive and symptomatic therapy is an important aspect of treatment of most cases of equine nephrotoxicosis.

Gracilis muscle injury as a cause of lameness in two horses.

Injury to the gracilis muscle can cause acute, severe lameness in horses. Two female Quarter Horses that were used for barrel racing sustained gracilis muscle tear injuries. The site of injury was localized by direct infiltration of the area with mepivacaine.

Osteomyelitis secondary to trauma involving the proximal end of the radius in horses: five cases (1987-2001).

Objective: To determine clinical, radiographic, and scintigraphic abnormalities in and treatment and outcome of horses with trauma-induced osteomyelitis of the proximal aspect of the radius.

Design: Retrospective study.

Animals: 5 horses.