Use of multiple admission variables better predicts intestinal strangulation in horses with colic than peritoneal or the ratio of peritoneal:blood l-lactate concentration.

Background: Early identification of strangulating obstruction (SO) in horses with colic improves outcomes, yet early diagnosis of horses requiring surgery for SO often remains challenging.

Objectives: To compare blood and peritoneal fluid l-lactate concentrations, peritoneal:blood l-lactate ratio, peritoneal minus blood (peritoneal-blood) l-lactate concentration and other clinical variables for predicting SO and SO in horses with small intestinal lesions (SO-SI) and then to develop a multivariable model to predict SO and SO-SI.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort.

Early Identification of Intestinal Strangulation: Why It Is Important and How to Make an Early Diagnosis.

Horses with colic caused by intestinal strangulation can have an excellent outcome with early surgical correction of the obstruction. The expense associated with surgery is typically less with early lesion correction. The challenge is making an early diagnosis of intestinal strangulation.

Outcomes of pregnant broodmares treated for colic at a tertiary care facility.

Objective: To evaluate, following colic admission during pregnancy, (1) broodmare survival; (2) the frequency of recurrent colic in broodmares and its associated variables, and (3) pregnancy outcome and the variables associated with a negative pregnancy outcome.

Study Design: Ambidirectional observational cohort study.

Animals: One hundred and four client-owned broodmare admissions.

Acute abdominal dehiscence following laparotomy: A multicentre, international retrospective study.

Background: Incisional complications are a common cause of morbidity following laparotomy. Although uncommon, acute abdominal dehiscence (AAD) is a potentially fatal post-operative complication. However, few AAD cases are described in the literature.

Experimental crossover study on the effects of withholding feed for 24 h on the equine faecal bacterial microbiota in healthy mares.

Background: An association between equine gastrointestinal disease causing colic signs and changes in faecal bacterial microbiota has been identified. The reasons for these changes and their clinical relevance has not been investigated. Withholding feed, which is an integral part of managing horses with colic, may contribute to the observed changes in the microbiota and impact interpretation of findings in horses with colic.

Changes in the faecal bacterial microbiota during hospitalisation of horses with colic and the effect of different causes of colic.

Background: Previous studies have identified alterations in the faecal microbiota of horses with colic; however, further work is needed to interpret these findings.

Objectives: To compare the faecal microbiota of horses presenting for colic at hospital admission, day 1 and day 3/discharge and with different colic duration and lesion locations.

Study Design: Prospective observational clinical study.

Geographic Disparities in Clinical Characteristics of Duodenitis-Proximal Jejunitis in Horses in the United States.

Duodenitis-proximal jejunitis (DPJ) is an idiopathic and potentially fatal disease of horses characterized by abdominal pain, proximal intestinal inflammation, and subsequent gastric and small intestinal fluid accumulation. Although this disease is known to be costly and life threatening in the equine industry, the severity of clinical signs can vary widely, and an exact etiology has yet to be elucidated. This study looked to identify differences in clinical parameters of horses with DPJ between geographic regions in an effort to corroborate anecdotal reports and support theories of differing etiologies.

Multicenter Placebo-Controlled Randomized Study of Ethyl Pyruvate in Horses Following Surgical Treatment for ≥ 360° Large Colon Volvulus.

Identifying therapies that mitigate ischemic colonic injury and improve mucosal healing and intestinal viability are crucial to improving survival in horses with ≥360° large colon volvulus (LCV). Ethyl pyruvate is the ethyl ester of pyruvate with diverse pharmacologic effects that limit ischemic injury and hasten intestinal mucosal repair in preclinical rodents, sheep and swine models. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of ethyl pyruvate on systemic indices of colon viability, expression of inflammatory genes in whole blood, morbidity and survival after surgical correction of LCV compared to controls.

Use of perioperative variables to determine the requirement for repeat celiotomy in horses with postoperative reflux after small intestinal surgery.

Objective: To determine whether perioperative variables can be used to differentiate a medical vs a surgical reason for postoperative reflux (POR) after small intestinal (SI) surgery in horses.

Study Design: Retrospective study.

Sample Population: Horses >1 year of age that recovered from SI surgery and had POR.

In vitro effects of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors on the production of tumor necrosis factor-α by interferon- γ - and lipopolysaccharide-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells of horses.

Objective: To evaluate effects of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP1) inhibitors on the production of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) by interferon-γ (IFN-γ)- and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of horses as an in vitro model of inflammation in horses.

Sample: 1,440 samples of PBMCs from 6 healthy research horses.

Procedures: From heparinized whole blood samples, PBMC cultures were obtained.

Clinical findings associated with development of postoperative reflux and short-term survival after small intestinal surgery in geriatric and mature nongeriatric horses.

Objective: To determine risk factors, especially age, associated with postoperative reflux (POR; >2 L of reflux present upon intubation), high-volume POR (≥20 L in 24 hours), and short-term outcome after small intestinal (SI) surgery.

Study Design: Retrospective case-control study.

Sample Population: Horses aged ≥16 years (geriatric; range, 16-30; n = 44) and <16 years (mature; range, 2-15; n = 39) with an SI surgical lesion that survived general anesthesia and did not have a second exploratory celiotomy during the same visit.

Serum amyloid A concentration in postoperative colic horses and its association with postoperative complications.

Objective: To determine serum amyloid A (SAA) concentrations in the postoperative (PO) colic horse and its association with PO complications and infection.

Study Design: Prospective case series.

Animals: Fifty-one horses after colic surgery.

Characterization of the fecal microbiota of healthy horses.

OBJECTIVE To characterize the fecal microbiota of horses and to investigate alterations in that microbiota on the basis of sample collection site (rectum vs stall floor), sample location within the fecal ball (center vs surface), and duration of environmental exposure (collection time). ANIMALS 6 healthy adult mixed-breed mares. PROCEDURES From each horse, feces were collected from the rectum and placed on a straw-bedded stall floor.

Influence of Salmonella status on the long-term outcome of horses after colic surgery.

Objective: To compare long-term outcome of Salmonella-positive versus Salmonella-negative horses discharged from hospital after colic surgery.

Study Design: Retrospective case-control.

Animals: Horses discharged from the hospital after colic surgery.

The activity and inhibition of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 in equine peripheral blood mononuclear cells in vitro.

Objectives: To evaluate the poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP1) enzyme and its inhibition in horses and explore its potential as a novel therapeutic target for equine intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury by (1) identifying poly (ADP-ribose) (PAR) as an indication of PARP1 activation in equine cells using available immunoblot analytical techniques, (2) inducing PARP1 activation in an in vitro oxidative DNA damage model, (3) and demonstrating the inhibition of PARP1 in equine cells using commercially available PARP1 inhibitors.

Design: Experimental study.

Animals: Blood samples were collected from systemically healthy ponies (n = 3) and horses (n = 3).

Outcome of Surgical and Medical Management of Cecal Impaction in 150 Horses (1991-2011).

Objective: To evaluate short- and long-term outcome after medical and surgical management of horses with cecal impaction and to determine reasons for death or euthanasia.

Study Design: Retrospective case series.

Animals: Horses (n = 150).

Short-term complications after colic surgery in geriatric versus mature non-geriatric horses.

Objective: To compare in geriatric and mature horses the occurrence of short-term complications and short-term outcome associated with complications after colic surgery.

Study Design: Retrospective case-control study.

Sample Population: Horses aged ≥20 years (geriatric, n = 78) and 4-15 years (mature non-geriatric, n = 156) that had exploratory celiotomy for colic and survived recovery from general anesthesia.

End-to-Side Versus Side-to-Side Jejunocecostomy in Horses: A Retrospective Analysis of 150 Cases.

Objectives: To determine factors associated with postoperative reflux, postoperative colic, repeat celiotomy, and survival in horses after end-to-side (E2S) or side-to-side (S2S) jejunocecostomy.

Study Design: Retrospective, multicenter study.

Sample Population: Horses (n = 150).

Current treatment of ascending colon volvulus in horses: a survey of ACVS Diplomates.

Objective: To report the results of a survey of opinions on current treatments and estimated outcomes of ascending colon volvulus in horses.

Study Design: Web-based survey.

Sample Population: American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) Diplomates (n = 151) who perform gastrointestinal surgery in horses.

Impact of colic surgery on return to function in racing Thoroughbreds: 59 cases (1996-2009).

Objective: To determine the effect of colic surgery on return to function in Thoroughbred racehorses, identify clinical variables associated with successful return to racing, and compare racing performance between horses undergoing colic surgery and an untreated cohort.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Animals: 59 Thoroughbred racehorses 2 to 5 years of age that underwent colic surgery and survived to hospital discharge and 90 untreated Thoroughbred racehorses equivalent in class.

Colic in equine neonates: 137 cases (2000-2010).

Objective: To document causes of colic in equine neonates, evaluate clinical features of neonates managed medically versus surgically, determine short- and long-term survival rates for neonates with specific medical and surgical lesions, and assess ability of patients to achieve intended use.

Design: Retrospective case series.

Animals: 137 client-owned equine neonates (< 30 days old) with a history of colic or signs of colic within 1 hour after hospital admission examined between 2000 and 2010.

Effect of intraperitoneal PERIDAN™ concentrate adhesion reduction device on clinical findings, infection, and tissue healing in an adult horse jejunojejunostomy model.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of PERIDAN™ Concentrate on clinical findings, infection, and tissue healing in adult horses undergoing celiotomy and jejunojejunostomy.

Study Design: Block randomized blinded experimental in vivo study.

Animals: Adult horses (n = 12).

Evaluation of direct in vivo gene transfer in an equine metacarpal IV ostectomy model using an adenoviral vector encoding the bone morphogenetic protein-2 and protein-7 gene.

Objective: To evaluate gene transfer in an equine metacarpal IV (MCIV) ostectomy model using adenoviral vectors encoding the human bone morphogenetic protein-2 and protein-7 gene (Ad-BMP-2/-7).

Experimental Animals: Healthy adult horses (n = 15).

Methods: A plate stabilized, critical size 1.

Hepatic and metabolic changes in surgical colic patients: a pilot study.

Objective: To determine: (1) changes in blood ammonia, bile acid (BA), bilirubin, triglyceride, and glucose concentrations and liver enzyme activities in perioperative colic patients and (2) the association between these laboratory findings and short-term survival.

Design: Prospective observational clinical study.

Animals: Thirty-two adult horses undergoing exploratory celiotomy for colic.