How to perform a transtracheal aspirate in horses for diagnosis of lower respiratory tract disease.

Objective: To describe indications for and demonstrate the technique to perform a transtracheal aspirate in horses. Transtracheal aspirate is indicated to collect samples for cytology and bacteriologic culture in cases of suspected pneumonia or other lower respiratory tract disease.

Animals: 1 healthy university-owned horse was used for demonstration purposes.

Decreased Circulating Red Cell Mass Induced by Intravenous Acepromazine Administration Alters Viscoelastic and Traditional Plasma Coagulation Testing Results in Healthy Horses.

Coagulopathy is common in equine critical illness, with its early recognition being crucial for patient management and prognosis. In vitro viscoelastic (VE) hypercoagulability with decreased RCM/PCV has been demonstrated in dogs but not horses. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of acepromazine-induced (0.

Stability of Gastric Fluid and Fecal Microbial Populations in Healthy Horses under Pasture and Stable Conditions.

Equine gastrointestinal microbial communities vary across the gastrointestinal tract and in response to diet or disease. Understanding the composition and stability of gastric fluid microbiota in healthy horses is a prerequisite to understanding changes associated with the development of disease. The objective of this study was to describe microbial communities in the gastric fluid and feces of healthy horses longitudinally.

Comparison of Citrated Whole Blood to Native Whole Blood for Coagulation Testing Using the Viscoelastic Coagulation Monitor (VCM Vet™) in Horses.

Viscoelastic monitoring of horse coagulation is increasing due to its advantages over traditional coagulation testing. The use of a point-of-care viscoelastic coagulation monitor (VCM Vet™) has been validated for use in horses using native whole blood (NWB) but has not been assessed using citrated whole blood (CWB), a technique that might have advantages in practicality and precision. Blood was collected from 70 horses, tested in duplicate immediately using NWB (T0), and stored at room temperature as CWB for testing in duplicate at 1 (T1) and 4 (T4) hours after venipuncture for comparison to NWB.

Unusual Equine Tumors.

There are a number of unusual tumors in the horse. Gross tumor characteristics, anatomical location, and signalment may assist with identification. Clinical pathology is often unrewarding with non-specific findings, while fine needle aspirates may not obtain sufficient tissue material to confirm a diagnosis.

Increased packed cell volume alters point of care viscoelastic clotting parameters in horses.

Background: Polycythaemia and coagulopathy are identified risk factors for non-survival in critically ill horses. Assessment of coagulation is recommended for critical care monitoring but may be affected by concurrent polycythaemia.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of induced polycythaemia on coagulation parameters as measured by a point-of-care viscoelastic coagulation device (VCM Vet™).

Equine Gastrointestinal Neoplasia.

Gastrointestinal neoplasia is uncommon in horses. Clinical signs can be vague and advanced testing, including biopsy, exploratory surgery, and/or advanced imaging may be required for diagnosis. Prognosis varies by location, organ involved and is frequently poor to grave.

Systematic evaluation supports the use of ELISA for quantification of calprotectin in equine feces, a first step toward noninvasive quantification of intestinal inflammation in horses.

Objective: To optimize and evaluate methods for the detection of the inflammatory biomarkers myeloperoxidase (MPO) and calprotectin (CP) in equine feces by ELISA.

Animals: Healthy horses (n = 28) and horses with intestinal inflammation (n = 10).

Methods: Feces were suspended in buffer to create fecal supernatant.

Microbial populations vary between the upper and lower respiratory tract, but not within biogeographic regions of the lung of healthy horses.

Understanding normal microbial populations within areas of the respiratory tract is essential, as variable regional conditions create different niches for microbial flora, and proliferation of commensal microbes likely contributes to clinical respiratory disease. The objective was to describe microbial population variability between respiratory tract locations in healthy horses. Samples were collected from four healthy adult horses by nasopharyngeal lavage (NPL), transtracheal aspirate (TTA), and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) of six distinct regions within the lung.

External vs Internal Focus of Attention in Procedural Skills Learning: A Randomized Study.

Purpose: The Optimizing Performance Through Intrinsic Motivation and Attention for Learning theory postulates that directing attention to the intended movement effect or outcome (external focus) is more effective than directing attention to the internal body motion or body part (internal focus). This study compared external vs internal focus of attention as novice students learned ultrasound-guided peripheral cannulation. The authors hypothesized that conditions promoting an external (vs internal) focus of attention would result in better performance on immediate and delayed (retention) testing.

Clinical findings and outcome predictors for multinodular pulmonary fibrosis in horses: 46 cases (2009-2019).

Background: Prognostic indicators for equine multinodular pulmonary fibrosis (EMPF), an interstitial fibrosing lung disease, are poorly described.

Hypothesis/objectives: Describe diagnostic findings and outcome predictors for EMPF.

Animals: Forty-six adult horses with EMPF.

Gender Differences in Autonomy Granted to Residents and Fellows During Procedural Training: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Purpose: Supervisors may be prone to implicit (unintentional) bias when granting procedural autonomy to trainees due to the subjectivity of autonomy decisions. The authors aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the differences in perceptions of procedural autonomy granted to physician trainees based on gender and/or race.

Method: MEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched (search date: January 5, 2022) for studies reporting quantitative gender- or race-based differences in perceptions of procedural autonomy of physician trainees.

Comparison of plasma l-lactate between jugular and cephalic veins in healthy and systemically ill horses using a point-of-care device.

Objective: To compare plasma l-lactate (LAC) values between samples collected from jugular and cephalic venipuncture in healthy horses and systemically ill horses.

Design: Prospective, experimental study.

Setting: Large animal university teaching hospital.

Preliminary evaluation of reference intervals for a point-of-care viscoelastic coagulation monitor (VCM Vet) in healthy adult horses.

Objective: To evaluate a point-of-care viscoelastic coagulation monitor (VCM Vet) for use in horses by assessing variability between devices and establish reference intervals (RIs) for healthy adult horses.

Design: Prospective observational study.

Setting: Two university teaching hospitals.

Prolonged holding time and sampling protocol affects viscoelastic coagulation parameters as measured by the VCM-Vet™ using fresh equine native whole blood.

Objectives: Determine the effect of sample holding time and single sample reuse on viscoelastic coagulation parameters when using fresh equine native whole blood.

Animals: 8 healthy adult horses from a university teaching herd.

Procedures: Blood collected by direct jugular venipuncture (18 ga needle, 3 mL syringe) was held at 37 °C for 2, 4, 6, or 8 minutes according to 1 of 2 protocols.

Effect of Firocoxib and Flunixin Meglumine on Large Colon Mural Thickness of Healthy Horses.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) administration carries risks of gastrointestinal toxicity. Selective COX-2 inhibitors ("coxibs") were designed to reduce risks of adverse effects but are still associated with gastrointestinal complications in humans. The effect of coxibs on colonic inflammation and integrity in horses is unknown.

Short-term administration of flunixin meglumine or firocoxib does not alter viscoelastic coagulation profiles in healthy horses.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of the cyclooxygenase-2-selective NSAID firocoxib, compared to the nonselective NSAID flunixin meglumine on viscoelastic coagulation parameters in healthy horses.

Animals: 12 healthy adult mixed-breed horses.

Procedures: Following a crossover protocol, horses were administered flunixin meglumine (1.

Hyponatremia in horses with septic pneumopathy.

Background: Hyponatremia is common in horses with bacterial pleuropneumonia, but no further characterization of this abnormality has been reported.

Objectives: Describe admission plasma sodium concentration ([Na]) in horses with septic pneumopathy and evaluate any association of plasma [Na] with markers of systemic inflammation.

Animals: Medical records of horses >1 month of age that between 2008 and 2021 had a transtracheal aspirate (TTA) performed, abnormal TTA cytology, positive TTA culture, pulmonary disease on ultrasonography, radiography or both, and plasma [Na] assessed by direct ion-selective-electrode (dISE).