Application of the horse grimace scale in horses with dental disease: Preliminary findings.

Background: Dental disease is a common but often under-recognised condition in horses, possibly due to an inability to recognise clinical signs of oral discomfort. Some dental disorders are reportedly more painful than others, but there is no current metric by which dental pain can be objectively assessed. This study aimed to determine whether a facial expression-based pain scale offered an objective and reliable method for assessing dental pain in horses.

Effect of Simple Oral Dental Extraction on Systemic Serum Amyloid A Concentrations in Horses.

Background: The translocation of gingival commensals resulting in measurable systemic inflammation has been described in humans and non-equine veterinary species with dental disorders, particularly periodontal disease. Routine odontoplasty does not result in increased serum amyloid A (SAA) concentration in horses, but a measurable increase in SAA concentration in horses undergoing dental extractions could suggest that local inflammation resulting from more severe dental disease has potential for wider, systemic consequences that warrants further study.

Objectives: To determine whether SAA increases in horses undergoing simple, oral extraction of non-fractured cheek teeth with and without periodontal disease.

Evaluation of peritoneal l-lactate concentration in horses in the early post-partum period.

Background: Peritoneal fluid lactate concentration is an important diagnostic tool in horses with abdominal pain. Information on peritoneal lactate concentrations is lacking following parturition in the mare.

Objectives: To compare blood and peritoneal lactate concentrations in a population of mares within 36 h post-partum, report a normal reference range and identify any impact of retained foetal membranes (RFMs).

Use of smartphones to aid the teaching of equine ocular fundus examination.

Background: Teaching and learning how to perform examination of the ocular fundus is challenging. Smartphones can support to enhance students' confidence and experience.

Methods: Following an optional year-4 ophthalmoscopy practical using hand-held ophthalmoscopes, students completed a questionnaire using a visual analogue scale (VAS) investigating if students felt smartphone use aided learning and if student's self-assessed confidence in visualising the ocular fundus had improved.

Validation of an Improved Computer-Assisted Technique for Mining Free-Text Electronic Medical Records.

Background: The use of electronic medical records (EMRs) offers opportunity for clinical epidemiological research. With large EMR databases, automated analysis processes are necessary but require thorough validation before they can be routinely used.

Objective: The aim of this study was to validate a computer-assisted technique using commercially available content analysis software (SimStat-WordStat v.

Disease and pharmacologic risk factors for first and subsequent episodes of equine laminitis: A cohort study of free-text electronic medical records.

Electronic medical records from first opinion equine veterinary practice may represent a unique resource for epidemiologic research. The appropriateness of this resource for risk factor analyses was explored as part of an investigation into clinical and pharmacologic risk factors for laminitis. Amalgamated medical records from seven UK practices were subjected to text mining to identify laminitis episodes, systemic or intra-synovial corticosteroid prescription, diseases known to affect laminitis risk and clinical signs or syndromes likely to lead to corticosteroid use.

Prevalence, survival analysis and multimorbidity of chronic diseases in the general veterinarian-attended horse population of the UK.

The average age of the global human population is increasing, leading to increased interest in the effects of chronic disease and multimorbidity on health resources and patient welfare. It has been posited that the average age of the general veterinarian-attended horse population of the UK is also increasing, and therefore it could be assumed that chronic diseases and multimorbidity would pose an increasing risk here also. However, evidence for this trend in ageing is very limited, and the current prevalence of many chronic diseases, and of multimorbidity, is unknown.

Effect of flunixin meglumine and firocoxib on ex vivo cyclooxygenase activity in horses undergoing elective surgery.

Objective: To evaluate ex vivo cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibition and compare in vitro and ex vivo COX-1 inhibition by flunixin meglumine and firocoxib in horses.

Animals: 4 healthy horses for in vitro experiments and 12 healthy horses (6 males and 6 females; 5 Thoroughbreds, 5 Warmbloods, and 2 ponies) undergoing elective surgery for ex vivo experiments.

Procedures: 12 horses received flunixin meglumine (1.

Assessment of the impact of collection temperature and sampler design on the measurement of exhaled breath condensate pH in healthy horses.

The pH measurement of exhaled breath condensate (EBC) may provide a non-invasive method of assessing the lower airways of horses but the methodology used may influence findings. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of two sampling devices and three methods of condensation surface cooling (ethanol slush, -100°C; dry ice, -75°C; water ice, 0°C) on EBC pH. Each method was tested 30 times using six healthy ponies.