Measurement of ascorbic acid concentration and glutathione peroxidase activity in biological samples collected from horses with recurrent airway obstruction.

Objective: To measure the ascorbic acid (AA) concentration in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and cellular glutathione peroxidase (cGPx) activity in RBCs and WBCs from peripherally obtained blood and in cells from BALF to determine whether differences existed between the 2 major redox systems in recurrent airway obstruction (RAO)-affected and -nonaffected (control) horses and between systemic and local pulmonary responses in the glutathione redox system.

Animals: 16 adult horses in pairs: 8 healthy (control) and 8 RAO-affected horses.

Procedures: Physical examination data and biological samples were collected from horses before (remission), during, and after (recovery) environmental challenge with dusty straw and hay.

Surfactant alterations in horses with recurrent airway obstruction at various clinical stages.

Objective: To evaluate the phospholipid composition and function of surfactant in horses with recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) at various clinical stages and compare these properties with findings in horses without RAO.

Animals: 7 horses with confirmed RAO and 7 without RAO (non-RAO horses).

Procedures: Pairs of RAO-affected and non-RAO horses were evaluated before, during, and after exposure to hay.

Infertility associated with persistent hymen in an alpaca and a llama.

Perforation and dilation of the persistent hymen in an alpaca and a llama, detected by vaginal examination and endoscopy, was achieved by use of a sigmoidoscope and incremental dilation using cylindrical instruments to a maximum diameter of 38 mm. Outcome and subsequent fertility are dependent on length of time the obstruction has been present and secondary uterine disease.

High-speed treadmill videoendoscopic examination of the upper respiratory tract in the horse: the results of 291 clinical cases.

The purpose of the study was to describe the prevalence of upper airway abnormalities and establish if any significant associations existed between study variables and the two most frequently identified disorders; axial deviation of the aryepiglottic folds and dorsal displacement of the soft palate. The clinical records and video-recordings of all horses referred for upper respiratory tract evaluation during high-speed treadmill videoendoscopy between November 1997 and September 2003 were reviewed. Of 291 horses included in the study, 265 underwent resting endoscopy and 42% (112/265) had a recognised abnormality.