A novel ultrasonographic assisted technique for desmotomy of the palmar/plantar annular ligament in horses.

Objectives: To describe an ultrasound assisted technique for desmotomy of the palmar/plantar annular ligament (PAL), determine its efficacy and intraoperative complications.

Study Design: Cadaveric and in vivo study.

Animals: Cadaveric limbs (n = 12), adult horses (n = 4), and clinical cases (n = 2).

Pharmacokinetics of a combination of amikacin sulfate and penicillin G sodium for intravenous regional limb perfusion in adult horses.

The aim of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetics of amikacin and penicillin G sodium when administered in combination as an intravenous regional limb perfusion (IVRLP) to horses. Seven healthy adult horses underwent an IVRLP in the cephalic vein with 2 g of amikacin sulfate and 10 mill IU of penicillin G sodium diluted to 60 mL in 0.9% saline.

A preliminary study of silver sodium zirconium phosphate polyurethane foam wound dressing on wounds of the distal aspect of the forelimb in horses.

Objective: To determine if application of silver sodium zirconium phosphate polyurethane semi-occlusive foam (SPF) dressing would improve measures of wound healing and decrease bacterial contamination compared with a non-adherent, absorbent dressing applied to wounds created on the distal aspect of the equine limb.

Study Design: Controlled randomized experimental study.

Animals: Adult Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred horses (n = 5).

Evaluation of 3 handheld portable analyzers for measurement of L-lactate concentrations in blood and peritoneal fluid of horses with colic.

Objective: To compare 3 portable handheld analyzers with a bench top blood gas analyzer for measurement of blood and peritoneal fluid L-lactate concentrations in horses admitted with signs of colic.

Study Design: Prospective clinical study.

Sample Population: Blood and peritoneal fluid from horses with colic.

In vivo and in vitro evaluation of the effects of domperidone on the gastrointestinal tract of healthy horses.

Objective: To determine the effects of domperidone on in vivo and in vitro measures of gastrointestinal tract motility and contractility in healthy horses.

Sample: 18 adult horses and tissue samples from an additional 26 adult horses.

Procedures: Domperidone or placebo paste was administered to healthy horses in a 2-period crossover study.

In vivo and in vitro effects of neostigmine on gastrointestinal tract motility of horses.

Objective: To determine the response to neostigmine of the contractile activity of the jejunum and pelvic flexure and the effects of a continuous rate infusion (CRI) of neostigmine in horses.

Animals: 7 adult horses and tissue from 12 adult horses.

Procedures: A CRI of neostigmine (0.

Pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and safety of zoledronic acid in horses.

Objective: To determine the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and safety of zoledronic acid in horses.

Animals: 8 healthy horses.

Procedures: A single dose of zoledronic acid (0.

Use of zoledronate for treatment of a bone fragility disorder in horses.

Objective: To assess clinical outcomes and scintigraphic findings in horses with a bone fragility disorder (BFD) treated with zoledronate (a nitrogen-containing bisphosphonate).

Design: Prospective uncontrolled clinical trial.

Animals: 10 horses with evidence of a BFD.

Effects of phenylbutazone on gene expression of cyclooxygenase-1 and -2 in the oral, glandular gastric, and bladder mucosae of healthy horses.

Objective: To assess gene expressions of cyclooxygenase-1 and -2 in oral, glandular gastric, and urinary bladder mucosae and determine the effect of oral administration of phenylbutazone on those gene expressions in horses.

Animals: 12 healthy horses.

Procedures: Horses were allocated to receive phenylbutazone or placebo (6 horses/group); 1 placebo-treated horse with a cystic calculus was subsequently removed from the study, and those data were not analyzed.

Peritoneal and plasma D-lactate concentrations in horses with colic.

Objective: To evaluate the association between peritoneal fluid and plasma d-lactate concentration with variables used in the diagnosis and prognosis of horses with colic.

Animals: Clinically healthy horses (n=6) and 90 horses with colic.

Study Design: Prospective cross-sectional study.

Expression of cyclooxygenase genes in the jejunum of horses during low-flow ischemia and reperfusion.

Objective: To determine expression of cyclooxygenase (COX) genes 1 and 2 (also called prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthases 1 and 2) and stability of housekeeping gene expression during low-flow ischemia and reperfusion in the jejunum of horses.

Animals: 5 healthy adult horses.

Procedures: Horses were anesthetized, and two 30-cm segments of jejunum were surgically exteriorized.

Effect of gastric ulceration on physiologic responses to exercise in horses.

Objective: To develop a protocol to induce and maintain gastric ulceration in horses and to determine whether gastric ulceration affects physiologic indices of performance during high-speed treadmill exercise.

Animals: 20 healthy Thoroughbreds.

Procedures: Each horse was acclimatized to treadmill exercise during a 2-week period.

Evaluation of continuous infusion of lidocaine on gastrointestinal tract function in normal horses.

Objective: To determine the effect of continuous infusion of lidocaine on fecal transit time in normal horses.

Study Design: Experimental randomized cross-over study.

Animals: Healthy horses (n=6).

Evaluation of the effect of ranitidine on gastroduodenal contractile activity and gastric emptying in horses.

Objective: To determine the effect of ranitidine on gastric emptying in horses.

Animals: 11 adult horses.

Procedures: In vitro, isolated muscle strips from the pyloric antrum and duodenum of 5 horses were suspended in baths and attached to isometric force transducers.

Influence of diet and water supply on mineral content and pH within the large intestine of horses with enterolithiasis.

To determine the effects of two diets and water supplies on intestinal pH and mineral concentrations in the colon of horses, and to identify whether differences in these parameters exist in horses with and without enterolithiasis, surgical fistulation of the right dorsal colon was performed in six adult horses, three with and three without enterolithiasis. Each horse underwent four feeding trials: grass hay and untreated water, alfalfa hay and untreated water, grass hay with filtered/softened water, and alfalfa hay with filtered/softened water. Samples of colonic contents were analyzed for pH, dry matter, and mineral concentrations.

Prevalence of gastric ulcers in Thoroughbred broodmares in pasture: a preliminary report.

Gastroscopic examinations were performed in 62 Thoroughbred broodmares (33 pregnant, 29 non-pregnant) at one breeding farm to investigate the prevalence of gastric ulceration. Age, pregnancy status, race earnings, last race start, herd size, medical history, number of live foals, breeding years, feed type and number of feedings were recorded, plus coat condition and body condition score were determined. Twenty-one mares were re-evaluated after foaling, and the foaling date, foal weight at birth and placenta weight were recorded.

Long-term outcome associated with intratumoral chemotherapy with cisplatin for cutaneous tumors in equidae: 573 cases (1995-2004).

Objective: To determine outcome associated with cutaneous tumors treated via intratumoral chemotherapy with cisplatin and identify risk factors affecting local tumor control and complications in equidae.

Design: Retrospective case series.

Animals: 573 equidae with 630 cutaneous tumors.

Pharmacokinetics and in vitro effects of tegaserod, a serotonin 5-hydroxytryptamine 4 (5-HT4) receptor agonist with prokinetic activity in horses.

Tegaserod, a serotonin agonist, has been shown to have prokinetic effects in horses, but pharmacokinetic information is not currently available. The pharmacokinetics and in vitro effects of tegaserod were evaluated. Tegaserod increased the contractile activity of smooth muscle preparations of the equine pelvic flexure.

Effect of intrathecal amikacin administration and repeated centesis on digital flexor tendon sheath synovial fluid in horses.

Objective: To determine the effect of intrathecal amikacin administration and repeated tenovaginocentesis on the total nucleated cell count (TNCC), total protein (TP) concentration and cytologic characteristics of synovial fluid of the equine digital flexor tendon sheath (DFTS).

Study Design: Randomized, cross-over experimental design.

Animals: Adult horses (n=8).

Initial evaluation of a technique for complete cecal bypass in the horse.

Objective: To describe a novel stapling technique for creation of a complete cecal bypass, without ileal transection in horses.

Study Design: Experimental study.

Animals: Four adult horses.

Comparison of one-layer (continuous Lembert) versus two-layer (simple continuous/Cushing) hand-sewn end-to-end anastomosis in equine jejunum.

Objective: To evaluate single and double layer end-to-end anastomosis in equine jejunum.

Study Design: Experimental in vitro study.

Animals: Mid-jejunal sections from 12 adult horses without gastrointestinal disease.

Pharmacokinetics of the opioid antagonist N-methylnaltrexone and evaluation of its effects on gastrointestinal tract function in horses treated or not treated with morphine.

Objective: To determine the pharmacokinetics and effects of the morphine antagonist N-methylnaltrexone (MNTX) on gastrointestinal tract function in horses when administered alone and in combination with morphine.

Animals: 5 healthy adult horses.

Procedures: Horses were treated with MNTX (1 mg/kg, IV), and serial blood samples were collected for determination of drug pharmacokinetics.

Evaluation of the effects of the opioid agonist morphine on gastrointestinal tract function in horses.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of morphine administration for 6 days on gastrointestinal tract function in healthy adult horses.

Animals: 5 horses.

Procedures: Horses were randomly allocated into 2 groups in a crossover study.

An in vitro study on spontaneous myometrial contractility in the mare during estrus and diestrus.

Uterine smooth muscle specimens were collected from euthanatized mares in estrus and diestrus. Longitudinal and circular specimens were mounted in organ baths and the signals transcribed to a Grass polygraph. After equilibration time and 2 g preload, their physiologic isometric contractility was recorded for a continuous 2.