Equine Flashcards
What can be used to treat head shaking if you are suspiscious it has a photic/trigeminal component?
Cyproheptadine or Carbamazepine.
What is the normal temperature of the horse?
38C+- 0.5
What does EHV 1 usually cause?
Abortion in last trimester.
What is the pathognomic lesion for EHV1 infection?
Histological inclusion bodies in foals liver, lungs and thymus.
What does neutrophilia over >5% seen in BAL suggest?
RAO, SPAOPD, IAD, pleuropneumonia, acute
At what age do foals usually develop signs of rhodococcus equi penumonia?
infected as neonates by inhalation or ingestion of environmental bacteria but do not develop clinical signs until 2-6 months old. Bacteria reside intraellularly, particularly in phagocytes, leading to multifocal pulmonary abscessation.
What is the treatment for rhodococcus equi?
Rifampin and erythromycin for several weeks.
What are your differentials for acute infectious respiratory disease in adults?
Influenza, EHV1 EHV4 Rhinovirus EVA Strangles. Mycoplasma felis, equirhinis, bordetella bronchiseptica, streptococcus pneumonia, pasteurella spp, actinobacilluus sp.
What does EHV1 cause?
occasionally respiratory disease, more commonly abortion and encephalomyelopathy.
What are the signs of equine viral arteritis?
Respiratory disease, severe conjunctivitis, profound depression, periorbital oedema due to vasculitis.
What is bastard strangles?
A complication whereby abscessation occurs in other tissues including mediastinal and mesenteric lymph nodes and physes. Affected horses present with fever, malaise, weight loss and signs related to local abscesation.
Which type of hypersensitivity reaction is Purpura haemorrhaghica?
Immune mediated (type 3) - occurs 1-3 months after strangles infection, signs include oedema, petechiation, pyrexia, tx with dexamethasone, penicillin.
When can you be sure a horse has recovered from strangles?
3 consecutive nasopharyngeal swabs negative at weekly intervals
How is dictyocaulus arnfieldi diagnosed?
Eosinophilia in tracheal mucous or by response to anthelmintics - infections in horses are usually non patent and consquently the baerman faecal flotation technique is unreliable.
What are the clinical signs of pulmonary oedema in horses?
Frothy nasal discharge, increased inspiratory effort, widespread fine crackles on auscultation.
You are examining a 3-day old neonatal foal for suspected sepsis. Upon review of a blood smear, you notice the blue aggregates in many of the neutrophils (see image). What are these called and what do they suggest?
Dohle bodies are bluish-gray inclusions within the neutrophil that are retained aggregates of rough endoplasmic reticulum. Dohle bodies are one manifestation of toxic (i.e. endotoxemia) morphologic change to the leukocytes.
Other changes in neutrophil morphology that occur with toxemia include cytoplasmic basophilia, vacuolation, and toxic granulation. These changes are commonly found in septic foals and may be considered “defects” in the neutrophil during intense cell production and maturation. In this image, there are numerous dark blue aggregates suggestive of Dohle bodies.
What breed of horse is predisposed to development of recurrent uveitis and equine night blindness?
The correct answer is Appaloosa. Equine night blindness is a congenital disease that is bilateral and nonprogressive, wherein horses have variable degrees of decreased vision in the dark. Recurrent uveitis is a very important condition in the horse and is actually the most common cause of blindness in the horse. Appaloosas are overrepresented, but the disease can occur in any breed. It is thought to be related to certain pathogens including Leptospira, Onchocerca, Toxoplasma, Brucella, and other infections, but these relationships are poorly characterized. Affected horses have recurrent bouts of inflammation, and each episode causes progressively worsening intraocular damage. The condition is sometimes referred to as moon blindness.
Which of these tests is most reliable in diagnosing a uterine infection in a mare?
the correct answer is uterine cytology. Endometrial cytology will show a more quantitative measure of not only bacteria but of leukocytes. Because there are many commensal organisms found in and around the uterus, culture is neither sensitive nor specific. However, it is often a worthwhile test to determine what organisms are there and to design an appropriate antibiotic plan based on susceptibility results. A cervical swab is less reliable than an endometrial sample. CBC is neither sensitive nor specific for diagnosing endometritis. The presence of a high percentage of neutrophils in an endometrial cytology is very suggestive of uterine infection, especially if bacteria are also seen.
Why might a thrill be felt in the cardiac area?
A diastolic thrill on the left hemithorax is most likely caused by aortic insufficiency, systolic thrill on left hemithorax by mitral regurgitation, systolic thrill on right hemithorax by tricuspid regurgitation or ventricular septal defect.
What is the most common cause of poor performance in thoroughbred racehorseS?
Atrial fibrillation
Which drugs may cause toxic damage to the myocardium in horses?
Salinomycin and monensin. Monensin causes acute myocardial necrosis leading to fibrosis.
What treatments are available for Atrial fibrillation?
quinidine sulphate - anti arrythmic drug. Sudden death may occur. toxicity incudes urticaria, diarrhoea, anorexia, weakness. Heart rate and rhythm must be monitored throughout treatment.
Conversion of AF to normal sius rythm only occurs in 87%, and sudden death is rare but does occur. if horses fail to revert to sinus rythm during initial regimen then quinidine administration should be continued at six hourly intervals following a period of 24 hours without drug administration. Digoxin should be given every 12 hours until sinus rhythmn is restored.
Does aortic insufficiency predispose to sudden death?
Aortic insufficiency causes decreased coronary perfusion due to reduced diastolic aortic pressure and oxygen delivery to the myocardium is compromised. increased oxygen demand and reduced coronary reserve increases susceptibility to ventricular arryhthmias that can result in sudden death.
What is the most common congenital abnormality in large animals?
Ventricular septal defect