Clinical Research Abstracts of the British Equine Veterinary Association Congress 2015.

Reasons For Performing Study: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is an electrophysiological technique used to elicit motor evoked potentials (MMEPs) to evaluate the functional integrity of the descending motor fibres in the spinal cord. Successful application of the technique was reported in horses with spinal cord compression. However, limited data are available on the correlation of TMS with histopathological changes.

Intramuscular inoculation of cattle with Sarcocystis antigen results in focal eosinophilic myositis.

Bovine eosinophilic myositis (BEM) is a subclinical myopathy characterized by multifocal white to grey-green discolorations in skeletal muscles, heart, tongue and oesophagus. These lesions are found at slaughter or during meat cutting and result in considerable economic losses. The etiology and pathogenesis are unclear, although it has been suggested, that Sarcocystis species are involved.

Functional electrical stimulation of the left recurrent laryngeal nerve using a vagus nerve stimulator in a normal horse.

The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of implanting an existing vagus nerve stimulating (VNS) electrode around the recurrent laryngeal nerve. The stimulus response characteristics required to achieve abduction of the ipsilateral arytenoid by the VNS electrode in the normal horse could then be determined. The electrode was wound around the left recurrent laryngeal nerve at the cervical level and connected to a pulse generator.

Computed tomography-guided brain biopsy for in vivo diagnosis of a cholesterinic granuloma in a horse.

Case Description: An 8-year-old warmblood mare was evaluated following an acute onset of neurologic abnormalities.

Clinical Findings: Computed tomography of the head revealed large masses in both lateral ventricles, and a presumptive diagnosis of cholesterinic granuloma was made.

Treatment And Outcome: Freehand biopsy of the intracranial masses was performed under computed tomographic guidance, and histologic examination of biopsy specimens confirmed the diagnosis.