Miscellaneous Flashcards
What are most equine uroliths composed of?
Calcium carbonate or calcium phosphate
What are three techniques for removing uroliths?
Laparocystotomy
Perineal urethrostomy
Cystotomy
What are the causes of pain in the GIT
Stretch
Ischemia
Inflammation
What are the indications for colic surgery?
Acute, unrelenting pain with no analgesic response
Silent abdomen
Progressive abdominal distention
Continuous high-volume reflux (alkaline pH)
HR >60-80 or increasing
Poor/deteriorating CV status
Increased peritoneal protean (>3g/dl) or blood tinged
Fever —> proximal enteritis or non-strangulating infarction
What are the abdominal approaches for a celiotomy?
Ventral midline ***
Paramedian
Paramedian oblique
Flank
Inguinal
What are the attachment points for the colon?
Colon is only fixed at the base of the cecum + transverse colon
All else is free-floating
How many bands on the cecum?
4 = 2 vascular + 2 avascular
What does the vascular lateral band of the cecum lead to?
Cecocolic fold - Right ventral colon - Sternal flexure
Left ventral colon - pelvic flexure
Left dorsal colon - diaphragmatic flexure
Right dorsal colon - transverse colon - small colon
What does the avascular dorsal band of the cecum lead to?
Ileocolic fold - start of ileum - Jejunum - duodenocolic fold
Indicates the end of the Jejunum and beginning of duodenum
duodenum - stomach
What are the surgical options for the large intestines?
Reposition
Evacuation / massage - enterotomy
Amputation / resection
Bypass (cecum)
Colopexy - colon torsions can reoccur - cannot do on performance horse, will tear and contaminate abdomen
Colostomy (small colon)
What is the most common type of simple obstruction?
Colonic impactions
What are some etiologies for colonic impactions?
Coarse feed
Poor dentition
Abnormal motility
Decreased water intake
What are the signs of a colonic impaction?
Mild to moderate dehydration
Normal/elevated HR
Peritoneal fluid usually normal
Rectal palpation reveals mass or gas distention
How do you treat colonic impactions?
IV (+/- oral) fluids
Oral laxatives
Analgesics
Surgery if necessary
What are some etiologies for sand colic?
Short pasture
Insufficient roughage
Sandy soil
What are the signs of sand impaction?
Intermittent colic, stretching out, diarrhea
Auscultation f abdomen
Rectal palpation may be normal or impaction felt
Sand present in feces
How do you medically treat sand impactions?
Mineral oil
Magnesium sulfate
Psyllium
How can you prevent sand colic?
Feeding off ground
Maintain lush pasture
Feed hay if grass too short
Chronic psyllium administration
What is the etiology of enteroliths?
Precipitation of magnesium ammonium phosphate salts (struvite) around a nodes - rock, bale, nail, twine, etc.
What are the signs of enteroliths?
Intermittent colic with gas distended large colon on rectal (fat)
What are the risk factors of enteroliths?
Geography
California, Arizona
How do you treat enteroliths?
Surgical removal by enterotomy
If stone is not a smooth ball, need to look for more - always look for more
Where do enteroliths most commonly occur in the intestine?
Small colon 45%
Right dorsal colon 32%
Transverse colon 22%
DO NOT occur in small intestine
What are the etiologies of colon tympany?
Fermentable feeds ( abrupt change high carb or legume/alfalfa)
Electrolyte abnormalities - low calcium and potassium
Atropine administration
What are the risk factors for colon tympany?
Abrupt feed changes
Feeding large amounts of carbohydrates
Very rich legumes (alfalfa)
What are the clinical signs of colon tympany?
Increasing severity of pain
Gas distention on rectal
Circulatory shock may occur
How do you treat colon tympany?
Analgesics
Fluid therapy
Mineral oil to aid removal of fermentation products
Decompression
What are causes of intramural lesions?
Eosinophilic granulomas
Hematoma
Fibrotic plaques —> wall of intestine thickens
What are clinical signs of intramural lesions?
Functional obstruction (with feed)
Peritoneal fluid may have increased protein and WBC
How do you treat intramural lesions?
Impaction will not resolve with medical therapy
Surgical removal of impaction
Resection of affected intestine
Describe a right dorsal displacement.
Mispositioning of the left colon to the right of the cecum (i.e. colon is between the cecum and the right body wall)
Most common is counterclockwise
What causes a right dorsal displacement?
Abnormal motility due to gas distention - larger breed horses (recurrence common)
What are the signs of a right dorsal displacement?
Variable amounts of pain
Gastric reflux
Rectal exam: bands of large colon palpated in transverse orientation
Peritoneal fluid: initially normal
How do you treat right dorsal displacements?
Surgical correction via ventral midline celiotomy
Describe a left dorsal displacement
Nephrosplenic entrapment
How can you surgically treat sand colic?
Pelvic flexure enteropathy + evacuate large colon if devitalized
What horses are most likely to develop left dorsal displacements?
Large warmblood geldings
What are the signs of a left dorsal displacement?
Variable pain
Gastric reflux
Rectal palpation of entrapment
U/S exam
Peritoneal tap may penetrate spleen
How do you treat a left dorsal displacement?
Surgical correction via midline celiotomy OR flank laparotomy
Systemic rolling under general anesthesia
Phenylephrine
Describe a displacement of the pelvic flexure and/or left colon
Cranial flexion of left colon “gas tie”
Gastrosplenic entrapment
Diaphragmatic hernia
What are the signs of a displacement of the pelvic flexure and/or left colon?
Duration and degree of distention determine metabolic compromise, gas distention on rectal
Just tells you large colon is involved
How do you treat a displacement of the pelvic flexure and/or left colon?
Surgical correction via midline celiotomy