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Background: Upper respiratory tract (URT) endoscopy at rest is commonly used to evaluate competition draught horses with URT conditions. Overground endoscopy might be preferred for draught horse URT evaluation as it allows the horses to be driven with harness, overcheck and cart-load under similar conditions to those experienced in the show ring where airway conditions are most prominent., Objective: To describe the exercising URT findings of competition draught horses with abnormal respiratory noise and/or poor performance., Study Design: Case series., Methods: Medical records of competition draught horses undergoing overground endoscopic evaluation between January 2013 and January 2018 with a presenting complaint of abnormal respiratory noise and/or poor performance were reviewed. Video recordings of resting and overground endoscopy were evaluated in all horses. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was calculated between laryngeal function at rest and at exercise., Results: Fifty competition draught horses were examined. Thirteen had previously undergone URT surgery. There was significant correlation between resting and exercising laryngeal function (ρ = 0.77, P<0.01). Abnormalities were detected in 46 horses and included arytenoid cartilage collapse (n = 31), vocal fold collapse (n = 27), palatal dysfunction (n = 14), epiglottic disorders (n = 11), dynamic laryngeal collapse (n = 1), rostral deviation of the palatopharyngeal arch (n = 3) and medial deviation of the aryepiglottic folds (n = 16). The majority of horses had a complex of abnormalities (n = 31) or required exercising examination for identification (n = 41). Incidental upper oesophageal incompetence was observed in nine horses., Main Limitations: Retrospective collection of data., Conclusions: Overground endoscopic evaluation was a useful technique for identifying URT disorders in competition draught horses. The spectrum of upper airway conditions identified in exercising draught horses supports the use of overground endoscopy as a diagnostic technique and could influence treatment considerations. The Summary is available in Portuguese - see Supporting Information., (© 2018 EVJ Ltd.)

Background: Limited data exist describing broodmare longevity and reproductive efficiency after surgical correction of ≥360 degree large colon volvulus (° LCV)., Objectives: Compare career duration and foals delivered for broodmares before and after ≥360° LCV surgery., Study Design: Retrospective case series., Methods: Broodmares registered with The Jockey Club that had surgical correction of ≥360° LCV and survived to hospital discharge at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2015 were included. Information was collected from the hospital's medical data base and The Jockey Club produce records about the mares' reproductive careers. Data were evaluated using parametric and nonparametric tests, P≤0.05., Results: Mares that were bred but never foaled prior to surgery (n = 19) had shorter careers (mean ± standard deviation [s.d.]), 4.4 ± 4.5 years, and fewer foals, 3.1 ± 3.3, compared with mares that delivered ≥1 foal before surgery (n = 565), 10.4 ± 4.5 years and 7.4 ± 3.4 foals, respectively, P<0.001. Broodmares that delivered foals before surgery produced more foals in the years before surgery, 4.8 ± 3.0, than after surgery, 2.6 ± 2.4, P<0.001, and had longer breeding careers, 5.9 ± 3.8 vs. 4.5 ± 3.3 years before compared with after surgery, P<0.001. No significant differences in career length or number of foals delivered were detected for mares with a single compared with multiple LCV surgeries. Mares that were 3-11 years old at the time of surgery had significantly more foals after surgery compared with mares ≥12 years old, P<0.001, as expected., Main Limitations: Retrospective collection of data., Conclusions: Broodmares had productive careers following surgery for ≥360° LCV that were largely influenced by the mares' age at the time of surgery., (© 2017 EVJ Ltd.)

Reasons for Performing Study: Large colon volvulus results in strangulating obstruction requiring surgical treatment. Duration of this disease prior to surgical treatment is likely to influence survival directly., Objectives: The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of duration of large colon volvulus on patient survival to discharge. Relationships between other factors and survival following large colon volvulus were also examined., Study Design: Retrospective case analysis., Methods: Medical records of Thoroughbred mares aged ≥2 years undergoing surgical treatment for large colon volvulus between 1 March 1986 and 28 February 2011 were reviewed. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify influence of duration and other factors on survival to discharge., Results: Within the study period, 1039 surgeries were performed to correct large colon volvulus in 896 Thoroughbred mares. Median duration of colic signs prior to admission was 2 h (interquartile range [IQR] 1-4 h). Median time from admission to anaesthetic induction was 25 min (IQR 15-45 min). Median surgical time was 70 min (IQR 55-85 min). Primary surgical treatment was simple correction of the large colon volvulus followed by replacement of the colon. The overall survival to discharge was 88%. The final model identified risk factors significantly associated with survival and included colic duration prior to admission, packed cell volume at admission, surgery length, duration of hypotension while under anaesthesia, heart rate 48 h post operatively, post operative manure consistency and days hospitalised., Conclusions: Duration of colic prior to admission was statistically associated with patient survival to discharge. Other factors significantly associated with survival in mares with large colon volvulus were related to disease severity and degree of colonic compromise. Mares with large colon volvulus have a good prognosis for recovery with early referral and prompt surgical treatment., (© 2014 EVJ Ltd.)

Reasons for Performing the Study: Neonatal sepsis is a common problem in foals and is a primary cause of death in the post natal period. Transient bacteraemia and subsequent host responses have not been described in the equine neonate., Objectives: The primary objective of this study was to determine if transient bacteraemia occurs in foals within the first 72 h of life. Additional objectives included description of bacterial organisms associated with transient bacteraemia and concurrent cytokine gene expression in healthy foals., Study Design: Prospective observational study in healthy foals., Methods: Blood was aseptically collected for bacterial culture from observed spontaneously born foals at birth and 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h following birth. Samples taken at birth, 4, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h were analysed for interferon gamma (IFNγ), interleukin (IL)-1, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-18 and monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP1) cytokine gene expression quantified by RT-PCR., Results: Bacteria were cultured from 9 of 70 samples submitted for blood culture. The positive samples were from 4 of the 7 foals, all of which remained healthy throughout and subsequent to the study. All positive blood cultures were from blood samples obtained at 12 h of age or earlier and IL-10 elevation coincided with positive blood cultures in healthy foals. Cytokine gene expression fluctuated with age., Conclusions: Positive blood cultures suggest transient bacteraemia may occur in healthy foals early in the post natal period. Age corrected normal values may be necessary to interpret cytokine concentration in diseased populations., (© 2014 EVJ Ltd.)

Reasons for Performing Study: Arterial blood gas analysis is widely accepted as a diagnostic tool to assess respiratory function in neonates. To the authors' knowledge, there are no published reports of arterial blood gas parameters in normal neonatal foals at altitude., Objective: To provide information on arterial blood gas parameters of normal foals born at 1500 m elevation (Fort Collins, Colorado) in the first 48 h post partum., Hypothesis: Foals born at 1500 m will have lower PaO2 and PaCO2 than foals born at sea level due to low inspired oxygen and compensatory hyperventilation occurring at altitude., Methods: Sixteen foals were studied. Arterial blood gas analysis was performed within 1 h of foaling and subsequent samples were evaluated at 3, 6, 12, 24 and 48 h post partum. Data were compared to those previously reported in healthy foals born near sea level., Results: Mean PaO2 was 53.0 mmHg (7.06 kPa) within 1 h of foaling, rising to 67.5 mmHg (9.00 kPa) at 48 h post partum. PaCO2 was 44.1 mmHg (5.88 kPa) within one hour of foaling, falling to 38.3 mmHg (5.11 kPa) at 48 h. Both PaO2 and PaCO2 were significantly lower in foals born at 1500 m elevation than those near sea level at several time points during the first 48 h., Conclusions and Potential Relevance: Foals at 1500 m elevation undergo hypobaric hypoxia and compensatory hyperventilation in the first 48 h. Altitude specific normal arterial blood values are an important reference for veterinarians providing critical care to equine neonates.