Digestive enzyme concentrations and activities in healthy pancreatic tissue of horses.

Objective: To measure concentrations and activities of major digestive enzymes in healthy equine pancreatic tissue.

Animals: 7 adult horses with normal pancreatic tissues.

Procedures: Small pieces of pancreatic tissue were collected immediately after euthanasia, immersed in liquid nitrogen, and maintained at -80 degrees C until analyzed.

In vitro evaluation of three bacterial culture systems for the recovery of Escherichia coli from equine blood.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a commercial conventional blood culture system (BCS), a commercial resin-containing BCS, and a commercial lysis-centrifugation-based BCS for the recovery of Escherichia coli from equine blood samples inoculated with that organism.

Sample Population: Samples of blood obtained from a clinically normal horse that were inoculated with E coli.

Procedures: Blood samples were aseptically collected and inoculated with an E coli specimen (50 CFUs/mL) that had been previously isolated from a foal with sepsis.

Role of cholecystokinin in the gastric motor response to a meal in horses.

Objective: To measure plasma cholecystokinin (CCK) activity and the effect of a CCK-1 receptor antagonist on accommodation of the proximal portion of the stomach, and subsequent gastric emptying, in horses after ingestion of high-fat or high-carbohydrate meals.

Animals: 6 healthy adult horses with gastric cannulas.

Procedures: In the first study, horses were offered a high-fat (8% fat) or a high-carbohydrate (3% fat) pelleted meal of identical volume, caloric density, and protein content.

Acremonium strictum pulmonary infection in a horse.

A 10-year-old Thoroughbred gelding was admitted to the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital of the University of California-Davis with a 2-week history of intermittent fever and acute onset of lethargy, anorexia, and ataxia. Although the clinical signs were nonspecific, the results of initial hematologic and biochemical analysis were consistent with a chronic inflammatory process. Thoracic radiographs revealed an increased fine reticulonodular interstitial opacity throughout the dorsal caudal lung fields.

Meal-induced gastric relaxation and emptying in horses after ingestion of high-fat versus high-carbohydrate diets.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of ingestion of a high-carbohydrate versus a high-fat meal on relaxation of the proximal portion of the stomach and subsequent gastric emptying in horses.

Animals: 6 healthy adult horses.

Procedure: The study consisted of 2 phases.

Effects of exercise on gastric volume and pH in the proximal portion of the stomach of horses.

Objective: To assess effects of exercise on a treadmill with changes in gastric volume and pH in the proximal portion of the stomach of horses.

Animals: 3 healthy adult horses.

Procedure: A polyester bag of approximately 1,600 mL was placed into the proximal portion of the stomach of each horse via a nasogastric tube.

Effects of various diets on gastric tone in the proximal portion of the stomach of horses.

Objective: To assess gastric tone in the proximal portion of the stomach in horses during and after ingestion of 4 diets (2 diets of grain and 2 diets of hay).

Animals: 6 adult horses.

Procedure: A polyester bag with a volume of approximately 1,600 ml was inserted through a gastric cannula into the proximal portion of the stomach of each horse.

Evaluation of a method to experimentally induce colic in horses and the effects of acupuncture applied at the Guan-yuan-shu (similar to BL-21) acupoint.

Objective: To evaluate the reliability of a method for inducing colic via small intestinal distention in horses and to examine the analgesic potential of bilateral electroacupuncture (EAP) at the Guan-yuan-shu (similar to BL21) acupoint.

Animals: 5 healthy adult horses, each with a gastric cannula.

Procedure: A polyester balloon connected to an electronic barostat was introduced into the duodenum via the gastric cannula.