Equine Eval/Disease Flashcards
What is the term for the demonstration of symptoms in equine patients that are interpreted as evidence of abdominal pain?
(Colic)
Why should you palpate the legs/feet in horses with signs of colic?
(Looking for signs of laminitis or shock)
When planning to pass an NG tube in a horse with suspected GI disease, you should pick the largest or smallest tube that will work.
(Largest)
What is the disadvantage to sedating a horse you want to pass an NG tube in?
(Reduces swallowing reflex which is useful for passing the NG tube)
Which of the types of NG tubes, single bore or multi-fenestrated, is best for draining fluid?
(Multi-fenestrated)
If you get back a net reflux of 3 liters, is this normal or abnormal?
(Slightly more than normal)
You got a net reflux of 3 liters on a horse. You test the pH and it comes back basic, what does this indicate?
(It is a combo of gastric and small intestinal fluid, lesion is located in the small intestine)
You got a net reflux of 3 liters on a horse and tested the pH (info in other questions). You suspect enteritis may be playing a role in this horse’s issues, what do you do next?
(Submit reflux for Salmonella culture)
Is a CBC/chem part of the minimum database that you should obtain when seeing a colicky horse?
(No)
What blood work test can tell you an equine patient is dehydrated, has splenic contraction due to pain, or endotoxemia?
(PCV → increased)
What is indicated if a colicky horse has lymphopenia and neutropenia with toxic changes?
(Endotoxemia w/ compromised gut wall which is allowing endotoxin to enter the bloodstream)
Why should you aim slightly to the right off midline when performing an abdominocentesis in an equine patient?
(To avoid the spleen)
What is indicated by lactate on an abdominocentesis sample being higher than peripheral blood lactate?
(There is a segment of bowel not being properly perfused)
What two instances related to your collected abdominocentesis fluid would indicate if a culture is necessary?
(High WBC count and/or bacteria seen on cytology)
What imaging methodology is especially useful for evaluating gut wall thickness, GI motility and presence of free fluid in the abdomen?
(Ultrasound)
What length endoscope is necessary for gastroscopy in equine patients?
(3 meters)
(T/F) It is not necessary to deflate the horse’s stomach after you have completed your gastroscopy.
(F)
Intravenous injection should be made where in the cervical region of horse patients?
(Cranial ½-⅓ of neck)
What is the purpose of the alcohol swab you apply prior to venipuncture in a horse?
(Lays the hair down and allows for better visualization)
What is the minimum time you should wait after occluding the vein of a horse to make sure you are visualizing the vein?
(20 seconds, can hold off as long as you want to get a lot of filling to be 100% sure but at least 20 seconds)
(T/F) You should continue to hold off the vein as you administer your intravenous medication in equine patients.
(T)
What is the purpose of aspirating again at the end of your intravenous injection?
(Will flush leftover medication out of needle and hub)
How can you BEST determine in the off the syringe needle technique that you are in the carotid versus the jugular?
(Should not flow when not holding off in the jugular vein, will continue to flow when not holding off in the carotid)
What are the two primary sites for intramuscular injection in horses?
(Cervical and semimembranosus/semitendinosus muscles)
What are the three landmarks of the cervicalis intramuscular injection site in a horse?
(Ventral - cervical vertebrae, dorsal - nuchal ligament, caudal - cranial scapula)
What are the two landmarks for the semimembranosus/semitendinosus intramuscular injection site in a horse?
(Ventral - calcean tendon, dorsal - tuber ischii)
(T/F) You should always use the detached needle injection technique for intramuscular injections into the semimembranosus/semitendinosus site in a horse.
(T)
Once the needle is in the semimembranosus/semitendinosus, what should you do?
(Release the needle to make sure if the horse moves, you don’t pull the needle out)
(T/F) Complex colic cases are usually due to GI lesions or disease.
(T)
What is the term for the reaction of a part of the body to injury or infection, characterized by swelling, heat, redness, and pain?
(Inflammation)
In a case of inflammatory colic, there is increased or decreased blood flow to the GI tract?
(Increased)
What three GI sequela result from inflammation?
(Reduced motility, bowel wall thickening, and intraluminal accumulation of ingesta)
The increased intraluminal pressure due to an obstruction ‘strains’ the gut wall and collapses the capillary beds in the gut wall, what does this result in?
(Tissue injury)
Parascarid impaction in the small intestines is associated with which age group of horses?
(Young)
What three sequela result from the interrupted blood flow to GI tract tissues due to strangulation in equine patients?
(Epithelial sloughing, loss of gut barrier, and eventual death of affected tissue)
What is the primary worry with the strangulation induced loss of the gut barrier?
(Allows endotoxin to cross the gut wall and cause endotoxemia)
What are the three things that determine the severity of a lesion causing GI disease/colic?
(Type of lesion, part of gut involved, and duration of the problem)
(T/F) GI diseases/colic caused by inflammation are usually treated medically.
(T)
(T/F) GI diseases/colic caused by strangulation are usually treated medically.
(F, surgically)
(T/F) The upper GI tract is more tolerant to distension than the lower GI tract.
(F, other way around)
(T/F) Lesions that interrupt blood flow in the upper GI tract are more serious than if they were to occur in the lower GI tract.
(F, always serious)
Lesions of the (large or small) intestine tend to result in systemic endotoxemia due to size and microbial content?
(Large intestine)
What is the source of endotoxin (in terms of the bacteria itself)?
(Cell wall of gram negative bacteria in the gut)
Which of the parts of the bacterial lipopolysaccharide is highly variable?
(O-antigen or O-chain)
Which of the parts of the bacterial lipopolysaccharide is constant?
(Lipid A)
What part of the bacterial lipopolysaccharide connects the highly variable and constant parts?
(Polysaccharide core)
In a horse with endotoxemia, will their GI sounds be increased or decreased to absent?
(Decreased to absent)
In a horse with endotoxemia, will their heart rate and respiration be increased or decreased?
(Increased)
What are four classic clin path abnormalities in a horse with endotoxemia?
(Leukopenia, neutropenia, left shift, toxic changes)
In a horse with endotoxemia, will they have increased or decreased serum creatinine due to poor renal perfusion?
(Increased)
Horses with endotoxemia will be initially hypoglycemic and then hyperglycemic or is it the other way around?
(Other way around, hyperglycemia and then hypoglycemic)
Blood lactate greater than what mmol/L is indicative of severe disease in a horse?
(>5 mmol/L)
What is the fluid rate that should be given to horses in shock?
(45/ml/kg/hour)
What two products are used to replace lost proteins in horses with endotoxemia?
(Plasma or hetastarch)
What are two products that can be used to neutralize circulating endotoxin in an endotoxemic horse?
(Hyperimmune plasma and serum and polymyxin B)
Why would you not use a corticosteroid in a horse with endotoxemia, even though suppressing inflammation is really important and corticosteroids are potent anti-inflammatories?
(Can cause laminitis and endotoxic horses are already at risk for developing laminitis)
The risk of developing gastritis, enteritis, colitis, and/or laminitis is higher or lower with the consumption of large quantities of high fiber/complete feeds?
(Lower)
The risk of developing gastritis, enteritis, colitis, and/or laminitis is higher or lower with the consumption of large quantities of concentrate?
(Higher)
You have a horse with proximal enteritis and a horse with a small intestinal strangulating lesion, which horse will have a fever?
(The horse with proximal enteritis)
If a horse has a small intestinal strangulating lesion, will their pain be reduced after refluxing?
(No)
What is the difference in small intestinal motility in proximal enteritis versus small intestinal strangulation?
(Proximal enteritis → some motility, small intestinal strangulation → little to no motility)
What is the difference between lactate of abdominal fluid obtained via abdominocentesis in proximal enteritis versus small intestinal strangulation?
(Proximal enteritis → in acute cases, abdominal fluid lactate is small to a little higher than peripheral blood lactate; small intestinal strangulation → abdominal lactate is usually higher than peripheral blood lactate, disparity grows more advanced with prolongation)
What are the two possible etiologies of large colon torsion in postpartum mares?
(Parturition leaves a large space in abdomen and lactating mares may be hypocalcemia which affects normal GI motility)
What is typically the first treatment pursued for meconium impactions?
(An enema)
How should enteral mineral oil be administered?
(By NG tube, not by mouth in a dosing syringe)
How long should you fast a horse you plan to perform a gastroscopy on to identify GI ulcers?
(12 hours)
(T/F) Diarrhea can be a sign of stomach ulcers in foals but ulcers do not cause diarrhea in adult horses.
(T)
Where does fiber digestion occur in the equine GI tract?
(Large intestines)
Should horses have continuous or sporadic access to feed?
(Continuous)
Horses should be fed no more than what percentage of concentrate of their total daily diet?
(30%)
(T/F) Older horses can have a nonpathologic icterus of their sclera and mucous membranes.
(T)
What are two stall side blood tests that you can perform to help you to bring liver disease higher or lower on your differential list?
(PCV/TP → icteric or lipemic serum, low protein d/t low albumin; lactate → elevated in advanced hepatic disease)
Why can liver enzyme levels be normal in horses with chronic liver disease?
(Not enough normal liver tissue to maintain increased enzyme levels)
What is the liver enzyme that you should look at if you suspect liver damage in a horse?
(SDH)
(T/F) An elevated SDH indicates an ongoing, active liver disease in a horse.
(T)
What is the most useful enzymatic indicator of biliary disease in horses?
(GGT)
What is the main reason for increased unconjugated bilirubin in the absence of other blood chemistry abnormalities in equine patients?
(Anorexia)
What is the causative agent of Tyzzer’s disease?
(Clostridium piliforme)
EHV-1 infected mares typically abort late term but occasionally a foal can survive, those foals typically have what condition?
(Severe interstitial pneumonia)
What effect does the mycotoxin associated with trifoliosis have on the hepatobiliary system?
(Causes biliary fibrosis and hyperplasia)
What is your first step if presented with a mini donkey that has been anorexic for about 36 hours?
(Check serum triglycerides)
