Equine Pneumonia and Pleuropneumonia Flashcards
what are the clinical signs of pneumonia?
fever
tachypnea
nasal discharge
coughing
exercise intolerance
what can be seen on a CBC with fibrinogen with equine pneumonia?
neutrophilic leukocytosis +/- left shift
severe/early: neutropenia with toxic left shift
fibrinogen almost always elevated
what is the normal defense system?
mucociliary clearance
phagocytic cells
cellular and humoral immune system
what can aspiration be due to?
anesthesia
esophageal obstruction/choke
reduced laryngeal function
how do viral diseases impact the respiratory epithelium?
enhanced susceptibility to bacterial attachment
diminished mucociliary function
decreased surfactant: type II cells destroyed
how can you treat equine pneumonia?
antimicrobials based on culture and sensitivity
anti-inflammatories
anti-endotoxic
consider oxygen if hypoxia- foals
what antibiotics have the lowest relative drug concentration in lung secretions?
penicillins
what does most severe bronchopneumonia havee?
element of pleural inflammation
what is the pleural fluid like initially with pleuropneumonia?
sterile fluid
what should you do when ultrasounding a horse’s chest?
look at both sides, full chest
measure amount of fluid
look at mediastinum
should you sample the pleuropneumonia before placing the horse on antibiotics?
yes
what should you sample in pleuropneumonia?
trachea
pleural fluid
both: different organisms may grow
what is the most important predisposing factor for pleuropneumonia?
“shipping fever”: transport
what is required for any shot to return to athletic career in horses with pleuropneumonia?
aggressive, early treatment
when is the prognosis poorer with pleuropneumonia?
anaerobes
significant fibrin accumulation
hepatized lung
laminitis
