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Background: Ancillary diagnostic methods to enhance the accuracy of viability assessment have not been established for use in clinical practice. Objectives: To assess intestinal microperfusion measured by Laser Doppler Flowmetry and Spectrophotometry (LDFS) in naturally occurring small intestinal strangulations of different origins and to compare this between viable and non‐viable segments. Study design: Prospective clinical trial. Methods: Forty horses undergoing colic surgery for naturally occurring small intestinal strangulations were included. Tissue oxygen saturation (tSO2), haemoglobin (tHB) and blood flow (tBF) were determined by LDFS before and after release of the strangulation. Intestinal biopsies were taken in cases that underwent intestinal resection or intraoperative euthanasia and assessed using a semi‐quantitative mucosal injury score (MIS). The LDFS measurements were compared between the different categories of strangulation causes and histopathological injury using parametric and non‐parametric tests (p < 0.05). Results: Strangulations by pedunculated lipomas had lower tBF (13.9 ± 18 arbitrary units [AU]) than epiploic foramen entrapments (65.2 ± 61 AU; CI −1.697 to −0.2498; p = 0.005). Segments with MIS > 5 showed lower tBF during strangulation than segments with MIS < 4 (mean difference 61.1 AU; CI −1.119 to −0.07361; p = 0.03). This did not differ significantly following release of strangulation. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between the inflammatory cell count and tBF during strangulation (r 0.34; CI 0.01 to 0.60; p = 0.04). The tSO2 and tHB did not differ between the different categories of lesions or injury. Main limitations: No biopsies could be taken from the intestinal segments that did not undergo resection. The duration of strangulation could not reliably be ascertained. Conclusions: Blood flow measurements in naturally occurring strangulating lesions show a varying degree of ischaemia in different causes of strangulation. Intestinal blood flow measurements prior to release of the strangulation could potentially contribute to the identification of mucosal injury, yet a high individual variability and other contributing factors need to be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this prospective clinical trial was to compare the influence of butorphanol, buprenorphine and levomethadone on sedation quality and postoperative analgesia in horses undergoing cheek tooth extraction. Fifty horses were assigned to three groups prior to oral cheek tooth extraction. Horses were treated with acepromazine, followed by a detomidine bolus, one of the three opioids and both a nerve block and gingival anaesthesia. During the surgery, sedation was maintained with a detomidine constant rate infusion. After surgery, the quality of sedation, surgical conditions and severity of the extraction were assessed with a numerical rating scale. To evaluate differences in the quality of analgesia between the three treatments, postoperative pain was estimated with the Equine Utrecht University Scale for Facial Assessment of Pain. Additionally, several parameters that are associated with dental pain were added to this validated pain score, and blood samples were taken to measure serum cortisol. Our analysis showed lower pain scores and a greater analgesic effect with levomethadone and buprenorphine compared with butorphanol, with increased locomotor activity induced by buprenorphine. While cortisol values demonstrated higher response in horses treated with levomethadone and buprenorphine compared to butorphanol, these values could be biased by unrelated stressors.

A fast growing, circumscribed, unilateral swelling of the right mandible of a juvenile horse was observed. Within few weeks, the continuously growing mass reached dimensions ranging from 7 to 10 cm in diameter and resulted in loss of the first deciduous premolar of the affected side. The animal was euthanized due to lesion progression. Histologically the mandibular swelling consisted of numerous variably sized vascular structures, partly filled with erythrocytes and embedded in a loosely arranged fibrous stroma within the medullary cavity of the mandible. Juvenile mandibular angiomatosis was diagnosed. To the authors' knowledge this is the first description of this rare entity in the mandible of a foal.

The objectives of this retrospective study were to describe the prevalence and characteristics of post-operative complications that occur following equine mandibular cheek tooth extractions and to assess for possible associated risk factors. Clinically significant post-extraction complications necessitating repeat referral developed following 20/302 (6.6%) mandibular cheek tooth extractions. Horses developing complications were younger than the overall population having mandibular cheek teeth extractions and the most commonly affected teeth were the Triadan 07 s and 09 s. Alveolar sequestration was the most prevalent complication, occurring in 18/20 horses (90%), with the complete alveolus sequestering in some cases. Post-extraction mandibular fistula formation occurred in 5/20 cases (25%) and mandibular abscessation in 4/20 cases (20%). All cases were successfully treated, including sequestrectomy, and wound debridement with some cases taking up to 5 months for resolution. Anatomical features of the equine mandibular alveoli and bone appears to make them more prone to develop extensive sequestration compared to published complications on maxillary alveolar bone. This requires good pre-operative examination including diagnostic imaging to identify cases of higher risk and thorough risk disclosure toward horse owners as well as owners' compliance.

The aim of this prospective clinical trial was to compare the influence of butorphanol, buprenorphine and levomethadone on sedation quality and postoperative analgesia in horses undergoing cheek tooth extraction. Fifty horses were assigned to three groups prior to oral cheek tooth extraction. Horses were treated with acepromazine, followed by a detomidine bolus, one of the three opioids and both a nerve block and gingival anaesthesia. During the surgery, sedation was maintained with a detomidine constant rate infusion. After surgery, the quality of sedation, surgical conditions and severity of the extraction were assessed with a numerical rating scale. To evaluate differences in the quality of analgesia between the three treatments, postoperative pain was estimated with the Equine Utrecht University Scale for Facial Assessment of Pain. Additionally, several parameters that are associated with dental pain were added to this validated pain score, and blood samples were taken to measure serum cortisol. Our analysis showed lower pain scores and a greater analgesic effect with levomethadone and buprenorphine compared with butorphanol, with increased locomotor activity induced by buprenorphine. While cortisol values demonstrated higher response in horses treated with levomethadone and buprenorphine compared to butorphanol, these values could be biased by unrelated stressors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extraction of incisor and canine teeth is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures in equine medicine. The present study aimed to investigate the types of bacteria found on the surface of diseased teeth and the occurrence of intra- or postoperative bacteraemia with a possible clinical relevance in operated horses. Extracted teeth showed mixed infections with a high percentage of gram-negative anaerobic bacteria. Transient bacteraemia occurred in 8 of 10 horses with every sort of manipulation on the tooth itself or its periodontium. Isolated bacteria from blood samples often corresponded with those found on the dental surface. Complications of clinical relevance associated with the detected bacteraemia are possible but rare. The use of antibiotics in horses undergoing incisor or canine tooth extraction should therefore be limited to those cases, where pronounced inflammation and infection are present locally or where systemic signs of sepsis impair the horses general health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to determine whether the assessment of cytological features of secretions from the paranasal sinuses represents a useful diagnostic tool in equine sinusitis to distinguish between different etiologies. Secretion samples from 50 horses with sinusitis and 10 healthy horses were taken transendoscopically from the drainage angle of the nasomaxillary aperture using a Swing Tip catheter. An additional direct sample from the caudal maxillary sinus was taken from all healthy horses after trephination. A direct sample was obtained from the affected sinus in 19 diseased horses after osteotomy. Samples were smeared on microscope slides and dyed using "Pappenheim stain" for cytological evaluation. Smears from horses with sinusitis (primary n = 14, dental n = 28, cyst n = 2, progressive ethmoidal hematoma [PEH] n = 2, traumatic n = 2, malignant neoplasia n = 2) were dominated by moderate to high numbers of neutrophilic granulocytes and moderate numbers of different epithelial cells, whereas samples from healthy sinuses revealed almost exclusively epithelial cells. Smears in dental-related sinusitis tended to contain more lytic cellular material than in other conditions. Horses with dental sinusitis also showed a higher intracellular and extracellular bacterial burden than horses with other underlying etiologies and healthy horses. The absence of bacteria in light microscopy did not exclude the evidence of pathogenic bacteria from bacterial culture in every case. Case numbers were too small to evaluate the diagnostic value for neoplastic conditions or PEH. In conclusion, cytological examination of secretions from the paranasal sinuses can provide an additional but limited ancillary diagnostic value in equine sinusitis. • Only very sparse data on cytological features of secretions from the paranasal sinuses in horses has been published. • Paranasal sinus secretions can be collected transendoscopically. • The cytological composition of paranasal sinus secretions in health and disease is distinct. • Cytological examination can help to distinguish dental-related sinusitis from other forms of sinusitis. • The evaluation of secretions from the paranasal sinuses in horses provides an ancillary diagnostic tool to support a suspected etiological diagnosis in selected cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To compareanamnestic factors in Equine Odontoclastic Tooth Resorptionand Hypercementosis(EOTRH) inaffected and nonaffected horses to detect risk factors for horses developing EOTRH. ANIMALS: A total of 154 Icelandic horses, aged 15 years and older, examined at 22 locations in Lower Saxony, Germany. The investigations took place from October 2020 to December 2021. METHODS: Anamnestic data were collected using an owner-completed questionnaire. Horses underwent a thorough physical examination and CBC. The rostral oral cavity was clinically examined, and intraoral radiographs of the incisors were taken. Clinical and radiographic findings were scored. Based on the results, the study population was separated into "EOTRH-affected" and "EOTRH-healthy" horses. Both groups were compared to identify differences within the anamnestic factors. In case of inconclusive findings, some horses were classified as "suspicious". RESULTS: The diagnosis of EOTRH was made in 72.2% (109/151) of horses. The risk of contracting the disease increased with the ageof the horse (P= .004). In addition, there was a predisposition formale animals (P = .032). Feeding, keeping, and dental treatments showed no significant influence, while place of birth seemed to influence horses developing EOTRH (P = .017). CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The results highlight how widespread EOTRH is among the German Icelandic horse population and the need for raising awareness of EOTRH, as many horses were not suspected of having EOTRH beforehand. Moreover, numerous etiological propositions exist, but, to date, no studies have investigated their relevance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Published descriptions of nonseptic arthritis of the equine temporomandibular joint (TMJ) are rare and large studies investigating variations in the TMJ for asymptomatic horses are lacking. The objectives of this cross-sectional, retrospective, multi-institutional study were to describe anatomical variations in the TMJ detected using computed tomography (CT) in an equid population asymptomatic for TMJ disease and determine whether these variations were associated with patient signalment, reason for CT examination, or CT slice width. Medical records at eight hospitals were searched for horses that had head/neck CT scans and no clinical signs of TMJ disease. Age, breed, sex, clinical presentation, and CT slice width data were recorded. Alterations in CT contour and density of the mandibular condyles, mandibular fossae, and TMJ intra-articular discs were described for each horse. Generalized logistic regression was used to test associations between anatomical variations and horse age. A total of 1018 horses were sampled. Anatomical variations were found in TMJ CT images for 40% of horses and 29% of joints. These were dichotomous with regard to age. Horses <1 year old commonly had alterations in the shape and density of the mandibular condyle. Older horses commonly had spherical hypodensities within the mandibular condyles consistent with bone cysts; and hyperdense regions of the intra-articular disc consistent with dystrophic mineralization. Findings indicated that TMJ anatomic variations were common in CT images of younger and older horses asymptomatic for TMJ disease. Future studies are needed to more definitively characterize these CT variations using gross pathology and histopathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]