Exam 2 Flashcards
Name the common and uncommon causes of non-infectious airway diseases in the horse
Common: equine asthma, inflammatory airway disease (IAD), exercise induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH)
Uncommon: neoplasia (granular cell tumor most common), silicosis (associated with housing near dusty road), equine multinodular pulmonary fibrosis (caused by EHV 5), multisystemic eosinophilic epitheliotropic disease (MEEDS)
Describe the growth of granular cell tumors in the lungs of horses
They grow out of the interstitium and into the airways
-block the entire airway
-easily diagnosed through endoscopy
What would you find through biopsy or BAL of a horse with equine multinodular pulmonary fibrosis?
Evidence of equine herpes virus 5
-might also be found in a normal horse though
What is the pathophysiology of MEEDS?
Unknown
-can affect many different body systems
What are some other names for equine asthma?
-equine chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
-equine recurrent airway obstructive disease (RAO)
-lay names: heaves, broken wind
T/F: humans are the experimental model for understanding asthma in horses
TRUE!
Describe some general characteristics of equine asthma
-usually affects middle aged (7) and older horses
-recurrent chronic and seasonal disease
-often a response to exposure to respirable debris
-progressive clinical signs over time
-horses can achieve remission but there is no cure
What are the most common symptoms of equine asthma?
- moderate exercise intolerance in early disease
-cough and mucoid nasal discharge with moderate disease
-nostril flare and abdominal push with severe disease
In the worst cases of equine asthma, how do the nostrils appear?
Fixed and dilated
- don’t move when the horse breaths
What are the two different forms of equine asthma?
Typical equine heaves: associated with exposure to barn dust, hay dust or hay mold. More commonly observed in winter
Summer pasture airway obstructive disease (SPAOD): observed in southeastern states, associated with pasture, humidity and hot temperatures
Describe the mechanics of deposition of material in the airways
-if material is >5 microns there will be insertional impaction (ex: dirt, pollen). Mainly get trapped in nose and sinuses
-if material is 1-5 microns it will undergo sedimentation (mold spores, bacteria). Get stuck in trachea and upper bronchial tree (can ride the airstream for a while)
-if <1 micron, will undergo diffusion (gasses, moisture, endotoxin). Get into deep airways and can be very irritating
What is believed to be one of the main culprits of asthma in horses?
Aspergillus
-prominent hay and affects mid range of airways
Describe the inflammatory response that occurs with asthma
-exposure to the inhaled irritant drives airway neutrophilic inflammation (non-degenerative)
-this inflammation then leads to bronchoconstriction and mucous hypersecretion
How do you diagnose asthma?
First must determine if infectious or non infectious
-complete physical (including rebreathing if indicated), auscultate larynx, trachea and thorax as well as heart
-observe horse in work
How do you determine if a horse is suffering from infectious or noninfectious airway inflammation?
-infectious: history of exposure to infectious organism or initial event. Feverish, other animals affected, acute onset
-non-infectious: exposure to new environmental factor, seasonal onset, recurring. No fever, not contagious, gradual onset, chronic or recurring
T/F: clinical signs of asthma correlate with the severity of disease
False- horses can fool you
- try rebreathing bag for better indication of severity
-if you see clinical evidence of disease, the horse is very compromised
Why might a CBC/chem be helpful in an asthma case?
CBC: can help to determine if infectious or not (infectious- leukocytosis, neutrophilia, hyperfibrinogenemia, hyperproteinemia. Non infectious- stress leukogram- neutrophils and monocytes increase, leukocytes go down)
Chem: hyperglobulinemia would be more suspect of infectious or neoplastic disease
What are some additional diagnostics that may be beneficial in an equine asthma case?
-airway endoscopy- mucous scoring, transtracheal wash, thorough airway exam
-thoracic ultrasound or rads to rule out other causes
What are the two options for transtracheal aspirates?
-transendoscopic or percutaneous
-sterile so can culture, gram stain, PCR, cytology
What are the pros and cons of BAL?
Can be somewhat therapeutic
-gets to site of infection, but is not sterile
-good to determine success of treatment
-can do PCR, cytology and gram stain
If a horse is experiencing airway inflammation, what should you always do during your first exam?
-obtain a transtracheal wash or brush
T/F: it is not uncommon to see some bacteria on transtracheal wash in an asthma case
True- often not causing the inflammation though
-may be an indication for a round of antibiotics
-asthma may predispose to infection due to mucous presence
Describe some advantages and disadvantages to Transtracheal washes
Advantages: sample is more representative of what is happening in the whole airway and the lung, samples are sterile so can be submitted for culture
Disadvantages: may not represent the current state of the lower airways since it is a sample of everything
When should you perform a BAL?
Recheck exam
What percent neutrophils are commonly seen with TTW and BAL in NORMAL patients?
TTW: up to 15% normal
BAL: 5% is normal
What are the main goals of treatment in asthma cases?
-resolve airway inflammation, bronchoconstriction and hypersecretion
-maintain remission
What is the first thing you should do when determining your plan in a patient diagnosed with asthma?
Perform an inspection of the animals environment
- round bales? excessive dust? lots of old dusty hay?
-can this horse be maintained on pasture? Is the pasture free of a lot of weeds?
When should you turn to medications?
When environmental management has failed
What are the main treatments available for equine asthma?
-corticosteroids is main treatment
-can layer on bronchodilators (beta 2 agonists)
Why are bronchodilators contraindicated as the primary treatment?
-not addressing primary issue (inflammation)
-inflammation can make the bronchodilators less effective
-horse may become refractory to treatment
-condition will come back as soon as meds are stopped
What are the main functions of bronchodilators?
-relieving bronchoconstriction
-reducing airway resistance- promoting mucociliary clearance, reducing secretions
-reduces the work of breathing
- does not resolve inflammation
T/F: NSAIDS can be helpful in asthma cases
False- they don’t do much
-need something stronger (steroids)
Describe the use of corticosteroids for equine asthma
Often given orally (inhaled meds not as effective when horse is struggling to breath) for systemic effects
-beware of risk of laminitis
Which system has direct innervation into the smooth muscle of the respiratory system: sympathetic or parasympathetic?
Parasympathetic
-releases Ach which binds to muscarinic receptors
-causes bronchoconstriction
Describe the pharmacologic characteristics of M3 receptor antagonists
-main 3 are atropine (ok for 1 time use), ipratropium bromide (primary one used for long term use) and buscopan
-antagonist binds to Ach receptors which promotes bronchodilation
-sympathetic administration decreases gut motility and leads to colic (buscopan)
-can decrease secretions and mucociliary beating (atropine)
Describe the features of Ipatropium bromide
-effect remains localized to the lung and is rapidly degraded in blood
-nebulize with 1-3 ug/kg
-metered dose: 180-360 ug total (10-20 activations)
-peak response in 15 minutes, effect lasts 6 hours
-administer up to 4 times daily
-effective in the presence of inflammation
Describe how Buscopan is used
-0.3 mg/kg IV
-leads to rapid bronchodilation (10 min)
-effect lasts about 1 hour
-can be used for a single rescue dose
-significant side effects: increased HR, decreased gut motility
Describe the pharmacology of alpha 2 receptor agonists?
Cause bronchodilation through binding a pre-junctional receptor which decreases Ach release and reduces contraction of bronchial smooth muscle
-increases mucous and water transport and promotes smooth muscle relaxation
Xylazine and detomidine fall in this class
How does sympathetic innervation affect the tone of smooth muscle in the airways?
-circulating epinephrine and NorE from adrenals binds to beta 2 receptors on smooth muscle
-results in bronchodilation, increase mucous secretions and increased mucociliary clearance
-examples of beta 2 agonists include clenbuterol and albuterol
Describe some of the features of clenbuterol for treating asthma
-dose is 0.8 -3.2 mcg/kg PO BID
-can result in increased HR, sweating, excitability
-most effective if inflammation is under control as inflammation down regulates beta 2 receptors (start steroids before this for more effective response)
What are the main corticosteroids used to control airway inflammation in horses?
Systemic: dexamethasone, prednisolone (NOT PREDNISONE- horses cant convert to active form)
Inhaled: fluticasone, ciclesonide
- safer option- less systemic side effects
When should systemic therapy be pursued in asthma cases?
-with severe airway disease
-when abnormal respiratory pattern may not allow for deep deposition of the drug
T/F: you can use the injectable form of dexamethasone orally
True- just be sure what is drawn from that bottle never goes IV
-cannot give IM
What are the advantages and disadvantages of systemic corticosteroids?
Advantages: much less expensive than inhaled, less labor and equipment intense than inhaled
Disadvantages: systemic distribution affects overall immune response, horses are more susceptible to infection, heavy parasite load, skin disease, laminitis
What are the inhaled steroid options for horses?
-Flexineb (more expensive), equihaler (only works for metered dose drugs)
-nebulized or metered dose administration
-good for maintenance of mild-moderately affected horses
Describe the use of inhaled ciclesonide in horses
-delivered in an inactive form
-drug is inactivated in the lungs when it reaches the airway epithelium
-has minimal effect on serum cortisol levels (minimal systemic distribution)
What are the main advantages and disadvantages of inhaled therapy?
Advantages: local effect, rapidly degraded when enters blood, minimal side effects, best choice for long term maintenance
Disadvantages: more expensive, more labor and equipment intense
What treatment should you recommend with mild asthma cases (grade 1-2)? More severe (grade of 3 or greater)?
Mild: start with environmental management (mow pasture, wet the hay). If horse fails to respond make more changes (remove hay from diet, switch to chopped hay or pellets)
Severe: start with IV corticosteroids at 0.05 mg/kg following with descending dose regime. Consider oral bronchodilators like clenbuterol
T/F: you should still taper the steroid dose even if the horse is not fully responding
FALSE
-dont automatically drop the dose, drop based on clinical picture
When should you stop corticosteroids when using for asthma control?
-when horse is on a very low dose (4 mg or 1 tab per day) and there is no evidence that clinical signs are returning
-environmental modifications are still in place
-recheck BAL confirms that airway inflammation has resolved
What are your options if you are on low dose dex and neutrophilic inflammation is still present in the BAL?
-continue dexamethasone at a low dose or switch to inhaled drugs
-revisit environment and make farther changes
-if horse remains normal, recheck BAL in 3 weeks
-some horses stay on low dose for a long time, but check parasite fecal egg counts and monitor for lameness, skin diseases and other infections
What is important to communicate to the client in order to maintain remission?
Make sure they know to call you when there is any evidence of problems
-have regular consults discussing clinical signs, temp, any other affected horses or any changes in management
What are some reasons for poor response to treatment?
-weight loss due to high energy demands of increased respiratory effort
-bronchial malacia resulting in bronchiectasis
Describe some of the features of inflammatory airway disease
-commonly found in racetrack horses
-often resolves with time
-may be due to viral infection- prolonged healing due to high respiratory demands of racing
-affects young horses
-can resolve, does not recur
-less neutrophils
What is the most common virus that affects horses?
Flu
How can viruses contribute to IAD?
-causes injury to airway epithelium leading to decreased clearance and accumulation of debris
-bacteria rarely plays a role
What are the clinical signs associated with IAD?
-cough, lethargy, mucous secretions
Which airway aspirate is preferred in IAD cases?
BAL- gives more accurate view of what is happening in terms of inflammation in the deep airways
-can be associated with eosinophil and mast cell inflammation in addition to neutrophils
What is the best course of treatment for IAD cases?
-get horse away from dust and tack environment
-modify bedding, feed, etc to minimize dust
-turnout on pasture
-medicate with oral prednisolone if no response to environmental management
-dont need antibiotics unless seen on cytology
What contributes to exercise induced pumonary hemorrhage?
-horses performing frequently at a high level (racehorses)
-occurs more in older horses
-occurs more in females
Describe the pathophysiology of EIPH
Extreme expansion of diaphragm when undergoing high exercise leads to negative pressure in the alveoli
- capillary beds with high pressure near alveoli leads to rupture
-areas around past hemorrhage become weak and more predisposed to future injury (fragile neovascular nets)
-hemorrhage leads to inflammation leading to neovascularization and easier ruptures (vicious cycle)
What are some ways to diagnose EIPH
-scintigraphy- can evaluate distribution of blood flow in the lung
-radiolabeled RBCs- to map at rest and during exercise (main redistribution of blood flow occurs in dorsocaudal lung field)
-endoscopy, BAL or TTW
-radiographs and echo have limited value
-necropsy: stains areas in dorsocaudal lung
What are the treatment options for EIPH?
Furosemide: leads to reduction in plasma and blood volume
-reduces RA, PA, pulmonary wedge and pulmonary capillary pressure
-bronchodilator
Nasal dilators: open up nostrils to reduce resistance
Equine concentrated serum doesn’t show great efficacy as treatment
How are equine respiratory viruses usually transmitted?
Horse to horse transmission aka contact with an infected shedding horse
-contact with recently expelled secretions (fomites)
-recrudescence of latent viral infections (herpes virus)
Describe the pathology of how viruses usually affect horses
- Virus enters track, attaches to respiratory epithelium
- Virus enters epithelial cells and uses cell apparatus to replicate
- Virus is released from the epithelial cells, killing cells
4.Viral shedding begins within 48 hours of infection - Damages the epithelium and mucociliary clearance mechanism
- Virus can spread systemically through viremia
- Epithelium can take a month or more to fully recover
How long does it take for epithelial cells lining the airways to regenerate after damage?
2-3 weeks
-if down to the basement membrane it will be replaced with scar tissue
What is the equine immune response to viral infection?
Innate response: secretion of soluble factors into mucous including complement, cytokines, macrophages, NK cells
Humoral immunity: in upper respiratory tract IgA response, in lower respiratory tract IgG response
Cell mediated immunity: viral antigen presented locally by dendritic cells, viral replication inhibited by NK cells and cytotoxic T cells
What are the main clinical signs of respiratory disease in horses?
-young horses most often affected
-acute signs include high fever, general malaise, cough that persists for several weeks, nasal discharge that is clear or mucoid (mucous usually with secondary bacterial infection)
-some can cause local lymph node swelling, tenderness, limb or ventral edema (common with influenza)
-chronic signs include diminished performance, chronic nasal discharge, chronic pharyngitis (due to pharyngeal lymphoid hyperplasia), cough
What are some secondary syndromes that can occur with viral infections?
-predisposition to bacterial infection
-pleural pneumonia/pleuritis- can lead to severe fibrin deposition and infection
-lower airway hyperreactivity and inflammation
-pericarditis
-generalized vasculitis which can affect many organs
-purpura type response-can stimulate immune reaction in multiple organ systems
Where should you start with your diagnostics in a suspect respiratory virus case?
CBC- mild normocytic normochromic anemia, acute leukopenia with mild to moderate lymphopenia, after several days mild to moderate neutrophilia, early convalescence- monocytosis, fibrinogen normal
Chem- +/- elevated CK, AST< LDH
How do you treat equine viral respiratory disease?
-cant treat the virus, treat the signs
-NSAIDS for fever, general malaise, bronchodilators (clenbuterol) and nebulizers (saline, acetylcysteine, bronchodilators) for cough
-acyclovir and oseltamivir moderate viral replication and protect against neuro response, can add in steroids, antibiotics if secondary bacteria, fluids
How should you monitor respiratory virus cases?
-ask owners to monitor temp, resp rate, pleural pain
-make sure fluid intake is adequate, monitor fecal consistency and output
-consider soaking feed or feeding softer feed
-place in a “clean” environment (pasture) if the horse is clinically stable and does not require close monitoring
-rest for at least three weeks past resolution of fever and other clinical signs
What steps should you take in terms of biosecurity in viral cases?
Isolate horse, use dedicated clothing, footwear, tools, monitor others for clinical signs, remove and isolate additional affected horses
-submit samples for specific diagnosis (PCR) and advise against movement on or off of farm
Describe the principles of vaccination against equine viral respiratory disease
Goals: to stimulate cell mediated immunity and antibody response
Types: modified live (stimulates cell mediated response), killed vaccines (mainly stimulate humoral response)
-all of these tend to be incomplete and short lived, but they are still reccomended
What general tests are available for viral detection?
Equine respiratory panel for PCR identification of common viruses and bacteria (submit nasopharyngeal swab or lavage, transtracheal wash, bronchoalveolar lavage (does not need to be sterile)
Viral isolation: best method for identifying viral strain. submit nasopharyngeal swab
Viral titers: pre and post antibody titers, collect and freeze acute and convalescing samples from serum
-not used much anymore
What are the common equine respiratory viruses?
-equine influenza (ssRNA, orthomyxovirus)
-equine herpes virus 1 & 4 (dsDNA)
-equine viral arteritis (ssRNA, arteriviridae)
T/F: DNA viruses are much more fragile than RNA viruses
False-other way around
What are some less common, less severe or age specific viruses that need to be considered?
-Equine rhinovirus: affects foals >3-4 weeks of age
-equine adenovirus 1: affects foals, severe if immunocompromised
-equine herpes virus 2: immunosuppression in weanlings
-equine herpes 5: equine multinodular pulmonary fibrosis
What is the most common cause of upper respiratory tract infection in the horse?
Equine influenza
-causes the most damage in the upper respiratory tract
What is antigenic drift and shift that occurs with influenza?
Drift: mild shift in surface antigens
Shift: development of a new viral subtype
What is the most common strain of influenza in horses in US?
H3N8
What is the most popular vaccine against influenza?
Modified live intranasal
- causes profound local IgA response and IgG
-frequency depends on the horses use
Describe some of the main clinical features of equine herpes virus 1 and 4
-double stranded DNA virus
-distributed worldwide
-most horses are infected by 2 years of age
-transmission can occur vertically (especially herpes virus 1)
-incubation of 2-10 days
-may become latent and reside in respiratory lymphoreticular system or trigeminal ganglion- shedding recurs with stress or steroids
What clinical manifestations are seen with herpes virus infection?
-upper respiratory tract infection
-pulmonary vasculotropic infection (can be lethal- endothelial cells necrose and fluid rushes into lung parenchyma)
-late term abortion
-neonatal foal death
-myeloencephalopathy
-neuropathogenic disease (mutation of EHV 1)
What are the main clinical signs seen with equine herpes virus?
-URT is most common form- older horses less severely effected
When does abortion tend to occur with herpesvirus infection?
Late term- at least 5 months into gestation
-fetus has minimal autolysis
-fetus and placenta contain high viral loads- infectious source
-usually several mares abort but abortion typically follows respiratory signs (a month or two later)
How do you prevent against equine herpes virus?
-vaccinate: first vaccine at 6 months with 2 boosters, then every 4 to 6 months thereafter
-usually use modified live (as it stimulates some cellular immunity)
-vaccine prevents abortion but not completely protective for other forms of disease
What is the infectious agent responsible for strangles?
Strep equi ssp equi
What are the characteristics of strep equi equi?
-gram positive, chain forming, beta hemolytic (completely lyses RBCs) streptococcus
-facultative anaerobe present worldwide
Why does being a facultative anaerobe make strep such a good pathogen?
It can spread through aerosolized particles and can live in any part of the body
Describe the pathogenesis of strep equi equi
-spread via the nasal or oral route, aerosolized or fomite
-bacteria adhere, colonize URT epithelium
-invades through the epithelium, lamina propria and enters lymph within hours of exposure
-evades neutrophils and replicates in the lymph nodes of the head
-may spread through lymphatics and cause bastard strangles
-may elicit immune response (purpura reaction and other immune mediated diseases)