Equine Health Conditions Flashcards
1
Q
What are the 3 health conditions?
A
Atrio-ventricular Block
Obligate Nasal Breathing
Endotoxic Cascade
2
Q
What is atrio-ventricular block?
A
- when the electrical impulse from atria doesn’t conduct to the ventricle
- blocks electrical impulse as it travels through the AV node
- dropped heart beat
3
Q
Why does atrio-ventricular block occur?
A
- happens due to strength of vagal nerve
4
Q
How is atrio-ventricular block treated?
A
- common and rarely requires treatment
- goes away with exercise
- increased adrenaline, decreased vagal influences so arrhythmia disappears
5
Q
What is the conduction mechanism of the heart?
A
- heart beat begins in SA node in wall of right atrium
- autonomic nerves have effect on SA node
- impulses cause contraction
- waves of contraction spreads across both atria
- atrial systole
- nerve impulse passes to AV node
- sends impulse along bundle of his
- waves of contraction starts in myocardium at apex of heart
- ventricular systole
6
Q
Why are horses obligate nasal breathers?
A
- they cannot breathe through their mouth
- they have very long soft palates
7
Q
What prevents horses breathing through their mouth?
A
- when they breathe through their nose, epiglottis prevents soft palate from rising
- so the soft palate cannot elevate to allow mouth breathing
8
Q
How does respiration occur?
A
- air inhaled through nostrils
- flows through nostrils to the pharynx
- passes through larynx to the trachea, then the lungs
9
Q
What is endotoxic cascade?
A
- toxins usually due to presence of specific bacteria in the horses gut
- present in walls of gram -ve bacteria
- normally doesn’t cause harm unless animal is sick
10
Q
What does endotoxic cascade cause?
A
- sickness causes bacteria to proliferate and give them opportunity to breach the intestinal wall
- bacteria dies, cel walls rupture, releases LPS into the blood stream, causing endotoxaemia
11
Q
What are symptoms of endotoxic cascade?
A
- depression
- lethargy
- dehydration
- anorexia
- increased pulse rate
- dark purple mucus membrane
- colic
- fever
12
Q
How is endotoxic cascade treated?
A
- intensive intravenous fluid therapy
- intensive antibiotics
- plasma transmission
- NSAIDs
- if not treated promptly can lead to shock or death
13
Q
What can lead to endotoxaemia?
A
- damage of mucus barrier in intestines
- inflammation of the small intestine
- twisted gut
- colitis
- acute metritis
- umbilical infection in foals
- insufficient ingestion of colostrum in foals
