Common and atypical presentations of Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection in equids with emphasis on neurologic and muscle disease.

Background: Comprehensive descriptions of equids with granulocytic anaplasmosis (EGA) with neurologic or muscle disease and other atypical presentations are scarce in the literature.

Objective: Describe the clinical signs, laboratory findings, treatment, and outcome of equids with EGA with emphasis on neurologic and muscle disease.

Animals: Thirty-eight horses, 1 donkey.

Equine Gunshot Euthanasia: Creation of a 3D-Printed Model with Integrated Sensors for Training.

Challenges and issues related to the use of pentobarbital euthanasia and disposal of animal remains within the US have recently been reviewed. Environmental and public health challenges increasingly necessitate consideration of alternative methods such as gunshots, an American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) "acceptable with conditions" method, for the humane euthanasia of horses. A recent study reported a correctly aimed gunshot provides a humane option for euthanizing horses.

Fish evacuation and emergency sheltering during wildfire disasters.

Wildfires are a serious and expanding threat in western North America, and wildfire encroachment on human populations leads to widespread evacuation and emergency housing operations for residents and their companion animals and livestock. Veterinarians are frequently part of wildfire response efforts and are called upon to assist in rescue, evacuation, and emergency housing operations as well as to provide medical care for evacuated animals. Although veterinarians are likely familiar with the principles of transporting and housing terrestrial animals, emergency response for aquatic companion animals presents unique logistic challenges.

Steroid precursors, steroids, neuroactive steroids, and neurosteroids concentrations in serum and saliva of healthy neonatal heifer Holstein calves.

Background: Persistence of high neurosteroid concentrations in blood is associated with neonatal encephalopathy and septicemia in foals. This has not been investigated in calves.

Objectives: To determine concentrations of steroid compounds in serum and saliva within the first 48 hours after birth in healthy neonatal calves, identify potential markers for disease, and investigate the association between serum steroid compounds concentrations in calves and their respective dams within 2 hours after birth.

Current Operational Model for Veterinary Care in Large Animal Shelters During Disasters.

Standardization of operating guidelines for veterinary care in evacuation and emergency animal shelters is imperative for an organized response and to facilitate treatment and prevention of medical conditions stemming from the effects of a disaster and the associated outcomes of sheltering. Safeguarding animal welfare through creating guidelines should expedite care, assure consistency, and provide appropriate safety measures for animals and veterinary medical providers. Veterinary integration into an incident command system (ICS) and response training allows for proper allocation of roles and responsibilities, as well as coordination of veterinary supplies and personnel.

Disaster Medicine: Implementation of an animal health database in response to the 2018 California Camp Fire.

Objective: To describe an animal health database used to facilitate effective disaster response and retrospective analysis of data concerning animals other than cats and dogs affected by the 2018 California Camp Fire.

Animals: Veterinary medical entries (n = 206) for evacuated or rescued animals (151) of various species, including avian, bovine, camelid, caprine, equine, ovine, and porcine species, temporarily housed at the Butte County fairgrounds in Gridley, Calif.

Procedures: Case data were collected via a standardized form by volunteers with the University of California-Davis Veterinary Emergency Response Team during triage and treatment of animals brought to the shelter.

Plasma concentrations of steroid precursors, steroids, neuroactive steroids, and neurosteroids in healthy neonatal foals from birth to 7 days of age.

Background: Transient hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunction occurs in critically ill foals with sepsis and neonatal maladjustment syndrome (NMS). Cortisol is the most commonly measured steroid. However, a complex interaction of various steroid compounds might play a role in pathophysiology of this disorder.

Effects of magnesium with or without boron on headshaking behavior in horses with trigeminal-mediated headshaking.

Background: Oral administration of magnesium and boron might have a beneficial effect on headshaking behavior in horses.

Objective: Evaluate the effects of oral magnesium alone or in combination with boron on headshaking behavior in affected horses.

Animals: Twelve geldings (6 healthy controls and 6 affected).

Luteinizing hormone concentrations in healthy horses and horses with trigeminal-mediated headshaking over an 8-hour period.

Background: Trigeminal-mediated headshaking results from a low threshold for firing of the trigeminal nerve. A seasonal component has been implicated in onset of clinical signs, which occur during the spring and summer months. Geldings are overrepresented in the affected population and hormonal differences as compared to a healthy control population of geldings might contribute to headshaking.

Intravenous infusion of magnesium sulfate and its effect on horses with trigeminal-mediated headshaking.

Background: Trigeminal-mediated headshaking results from low-threshold firing of the trigeminal nerve resulting in apparent facial pain. Magnesium may have neuroprotective effects on nerve firing that potentially dampen signs of neuropathic pain. This hypothesis has not been investigated in horses with trigeminal-mediated headshaking.

Effect of valacyclovir on EHV-5 viral kinetics in horses with equine multinodular pulmonary fibrosis.

Background: Equine herpesvirus-5 is commonly isolated from the lungs of horses with EMPF, suggesting an etiological link. Valacyclovir is used empirically to treat EMPF; however, no data is available concerning its impact on EHV-5 viral kinetics.

Objectives: To determine the effect of oral administration of valacyclovir on EHV-5 viral load measured by qPCR in blood, nasal secretions (NS) and BALF in horses with EMPF.

Survey of Veterinarians Using a Novel Physical Compression Squeeze Procedure in the Management of Neonatal Maladjustment Syndrome in Foals.

Horses are a precocious species that must accomplish several milestones that are critical to survival in the immediate post-birth period for their survival. One essential milestone is the successful transition from the intrauterine unconsciousness to an extrauterine state of consciousness or awareness. This transition involves a complex withdrawal of consciousness inhibitors and an increase in neuroactivating factors that support awareness.

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of intravenous romifidine and propranolol administered alone or in combination for equine sedation.

Objective: Propranolol has been suggested for anxiolysis in horses, but its sedation efficacy and side effects, both when administered alone and in combination with α-adrenoceptor agonists, remain undetermined. This study aimed to document the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of propranolol, romifidine and their combination.

Study Design: Randomized, crossover study.

Atlanto-axial approach for cervical myelography in a Thoroughbred horse with complete fusion of the atlanto-occipital bones.

A 2-year-old Thoroughbred gelding with clinical signs localized to the first 6 spinal cord segments (C1 to C6) had complete fusion of the atlanto-occipital bones which precluded performing a routine myelogram. An ultrasound-assisted myelogram at the intervertebral space between the atlas and axis was successfully done and identified a marked extradural compressive myelopathy at the level of the atlas and axis, and axis and third cervical vertebrae.

Risk of false positive genetic associations in complex traits with underlying population structure: a case study.

Genome-wide association (GWA) studies are widely used to investigate the genetic etiology of diseases in domestic animals. In the horse, GWA studies using 40-50,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in sample sizes of 30-40 individuals, consisting of only 6-14 affected horses, have led to the discovery of genetic mutations for simple monogenic traits. Equine neuroaxonal dystrophy is a common inherited neurological disorder characterized by symmetric ataxia.

Oleander toxicosis in equids: 30 cases (1995-2010).

Objective: To determine clinical, laboratory analysis, and necropsy findings for equids with oleander toxicosis and to identify factors associated with outcome.

Design: Retrospective case series.

Animals: 30 equids.

Evaluation of squeeze-induced somnolence in neonatal foals.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that application of a rope restraint device would result in behavioral, electroencephalographic, and humoral changes consistent with sleep and analgesia in neonatal foals.

Animals: 8 healthy neonatal foals.

Procedures: Following acclimatization to experimental conditions, each foal underwent a series of assessments before and during or at the end of a period of restraint via application of a restraint device (soft linen rope).

Electrophysiological studies in American Quarter horses with neuroaxonal dystrophy.

Objective: Neuroaxonal dystrophy (NAD) is a disease characterized by the sudden onset of neurologic signs in horses ranging from 4 to 36 months of age. Equine degenerative myeloencephalopathy (EDM), a disease that has been associated with low vitamin E concentrations, is considered a more advanced form of NAD. The objective of this report is to describe the electrophysiological features of NAD/EDM in American Quarter horses (QHs).

Meningitis and meningoencephalomyelitis in horses: 28 cases (1985-2010).

Objective: To describe clinical and clinicopathologic findings and outcome of horses with meningitis and meningoencephalomyelitis.

Design: Retrospective case series.

Animals: 28 horses.

Evaluation of epidemiological, clinical, and pathological features of neuroaxonal dystrophy in Quarter Horses.

Objective: To describe epidemiological, clinical, and pathological features of neuroaxonal dystrophy in Quarter Horses (QHs) on a single farm.

Design: Prospective case series. Animals-148 horses.

The dusky-footed woodrat (Neotoma fuscipes) is susceptible to infection by Anaplasma phagocytophilum originating from woodrats, horses, and dogs.

The dusky-footed woodrat (Neotoma fuscipes) is the putative reservoir for Anaplasma phagocytophilum in the western United States based on high prevalence of A. phagocytophilum genetic material detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), high antibody prevalence, and infestation with the vector tick Ixodes pacificus. Following inoculation of nine wild-caught woodrats with woodrat-, canine-, or equine-origin A.

Evaluation of deafness in American Paint Horses by phenotype, brainstem auditory-evoked responses, and endothelin receptor B genotype.

Objective: To evaluate deafness in American Paint Horses by phenotype, clinical findings, brainstem auditory-evoked responses (BAERs), and endothelin B receptor (EDNBR) genotype.

Design: Case series and case-control studies.

Animals: 14 deaf American Paint Horses, 20 suspected-deaf American Paint Horses, and 13 nondeaf American Paint Horses and Pintos.

Comparison of four methods to quantify Equid herpesvirus 1 load by real-time polymerase chain reaction in nasal secretions of experimentally and naturally infected horses.

The objective of the current study was to compare the performance of 4 methods to quantify Equid herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in nasal secretions from experimentally and naturally infected horses. Nasal secretions were collected on the challenge day and daily thereafter for 13 days from 4 experimentally infected horses. Additional nasal swabs were collected from 30 horses with clinical signs consistent with natural EHV-1 infection.

Successful treatment of head shaking by use of infrared diode laser deflation and coagulation of corpora nigra cysts and behavioral modification in a horse.

Case Description: A 15-year-old Saddlebred gelding used for competitive pleasure driving had a 1-year history of head shaking while pulling a cart.

Clinical Findings: The horse had cystic corpora nigra in both eyes and concomitant classic and operant conditioned responses to wearing a bridle with bilateral eye covers (blinkers).

Treatment And Outcome: Deflation and coagulation of the cysts with an infrared diode laser and behavior modification consisting of desensitization and counter-conditioning were used to successfully restore performance.

Equine herpesvirus-1 myeloencephalopathy: a review of recent developments.

Equine herpes myeloencephalopathy (EHM), although a relatively uncommon manifestation of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) infection, can cause devastating losses on individual farms or boarding stables. Although outbreaks of EHM have been recognized for centuries in domestic horse populations, many aspects of this disease remained poorly characterized. In recent years, an improved understanding of EHM has emerged from experimental studies and from data collected during field outbreaks at riding schools, racetracks and veterinary hospitals throughout North America and Europe.