Prevalence of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage in competing endurance horses.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) among elite endurance horses after competition in a long-distance race.

Animals: 20 endurance horses and 12 nonexercised or minimally exercised age-, breed-, and trainer-matched horses from the same environment (control horses).

Procedures: Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid samples collected from endurance horses at 3 to 8 days (sample A) and 36 to 38 days (sample B) after the race (100 km in 1 day [n = 3], 70 km/d for 2 days [12], or 100 km/d for 2 days [5]) were cytologically examined for the presence of hemosiderophages.

Ophthalmologic findings associated with Rhodococcus equi bronchopneumonia in foals.

Objective: To describe ocular findings associated with Rhodococcus equi bronchopneumonia in foals, and to determine whether severity of the ocular lesions is related with outcome.

Animals Studied: Foals diagnosed with R equi infection at the VTH-UAB from January 2002 to December 2017.

Procedure: Rhodococcus equi infection was diagnosed by means of clinical signs, radiographic/ultrasonographic findings, and/or positive culture.

Acid-base imbalances during a 120 km endurance race compared by traditional and simplified strong ion difference methods.

Reasons For Performing Study: Acid-base disturbances are traditionally assessed using the Henderson-Hasselbach equation. The simplified strong ion approach describes more accurately the complex acid-base and electrolyte abnormalities present in endurance horses.

Objective: To describe acid-base and electrolytes changes in fit horses competing in a FEI*** 120 km endurance race and to compare the traditional vs.

Plasma D-dimer concentration in sick newborn foals.

Background: Septicemia is associated with a systemic inflammatory response, hemostatic activation, and disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (DIC).

Hypothesis: Increased plasma d-dimer concentration occurs in septic neonates and can reliably detect sepsis or DIC, and predict death in ill neonatal foals.

Animals: 40 septic, 41 nonseptic hospitalized foals, and 22 healthy neonates.

Mean platelet component as an indicator of platelet activation in foals and adult horses.

Background: Mean platelet component (MPC) is a new platelet variable, measured by modern commercial complete blood count analyzers, that is reduced during platelet activation in humans and small animals.

Hypothesis: MPC decreases in horses with clinical conditions that cause platelet activation and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC).

Animals: We obtained 418 CBCs from 100 sick and 20 healthy neonates and 178 sick and 45 sound adult horses.