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Summary: This case report describes the treatment and outcome of a 3.5‐month‐old lame foal, with a history of pneumonia associated with Rhodococcus equi. Clinical examination identified osteomyelitis of the scapulohumeral joint. The unusual location of the Rhodococcus equi osteomyelitis unresponsive to prevention and adequate treatment led to euthanasia of the patient. Post‐mortem findings confirmed bronchopneumonia due to Rhodococcus equi as well as the osteomyelitis of the scapulohumeral joint. This case highlights that Rhodococcus equi should be considered as a pathogen in extrapulmonary locations such as septic arthritis and osteomyelitis in foals with history of bronchopneumonia. Early and aggressive treatment should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This case report describes a minimally invasive transurethral approach to repair a caudally located, ventral tear in the neck of the bladder in a standing mare. The mare was diagnosed with a ruptured bladder 16 h post‐partum based on clinical signs, transabdominal ultrasonography, peritoneal fluid analysis and serum biochemistry, and cystoscopy. Under sedation and epidural anaesthesia, the tear was visualised with a laparoscope placed through a sterile disposable foil large animal vaginal speculum (Henry Schein®; Henry Schein Animal Health, Dublin, Ohio, USA). Using Karl Storz Macro needle holders (Karl Storz Endoscopy, Culver City, California, USA.) passed through the speculum, the defect was sutured in a single layer simple continuous pattern using 0 Polyglactin 910 (Vicryl®; Ethicon Inc., Cornelia, Georgia, USA.). The surgical time was 30 min and no complications were encountered. The mare has shown no signs of urine pooling, urine dribbling, or cystitis since the operation. She is alive at the time of submission (130 days post‐operatively). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Three Thoroughbred mares that had undergone previous colopexy following surgical correction of a large colon volvulus presented for colic signs unresponsive to medical management. Exploratory laparotomy was elected and a midline celiotomy was performed in the caudal aspect of the ventral abdomen in each mare. Examination of the cranial abdomen revealed the large colon was not adhered to the ventral body wall, indicating dehiscence of the previous colopexy. Further examination of the abdomen in each mare revealed a 360‐degree large colon volvulus. The previous colopexy site appeared as a linear haemorrhagic area of fibrosis in one mare and a pale area of fibrosis in two mares. The large colon volvulus was corrected and a second colopexy was then performed using the same technique as the first colopexy – by incorporating 10–12 cm of the lateral free band of the left ventral colon into the midline linea alba closure using number 3 polyglactin 910 (Vicryl®). The mares each recovered uneventfully from anaesthesia and were discharged 2–10 days later. Two of the mares are still alive at the time of manuscript submission, 475 and 789 days post‐operatively. The third mare survived 4 years post‐operatively, following which she was lost to follow‐up. Data available from our clinic indicate an incidence rate of 0.79% for colopexy dehiscence followed by a repeat episode of large colon volvulus. This phenomenon should be considered as a differential diagnosis when a mare that previously underwent a colopexy presents with severe signs of colic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhodamine-123 (Rh-123) has been tested recently as a new laser dye for photodynamic therapy of human tumors in vitro and in vivo. Prior to initiation of clinical studies of this technique, we evaluated the biodistribution, metabolism, and pathological changes of Rh-123 in rabbits after systemic, repetitive injections of the dye in escalating doses. At doses between 0.1 to 1 mg/kg of Rh-123 injected intramuscularly (IM) daily for 5 days, no local or systemic toxicity was observed during the 4 weeks of follow-up. The peak concentrations of Rh-123 in micrograms/g of tissue was distributed as follows: kidney (3.24) greater than heart (2.24) greater than spleen (1.77) greater than lung (0.61) greater than liver (0.38) greater than skin (0.30) greater than skeletal muscle (0.17) greater than genitals (0.13) greater than brain (0.04). The elimination of Rh-123 was very rapid, with the dye falling to 2.7% of peak concentration at 72 hours in the kidneys, and to undetectable levels at 240 hours postinjection in all organs, except the skin, which retained 3% of the peak level at 240 hours. The low toxicity and rapid metabolism of Rh-123 in this preclinical model suggests that the dye and Argon laser may represent an effective combination for treatment of superficial malignancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To (1) describe a surgical technique for repair of lacerations of the ventral aspect of the cervix in anesthetized mares in Trendelenburg position; and (2) report conception rates and foaling after repair., Study Design: Case series., Animals: Mares (n = 18)., Methods: Cervical lacerations were repaired in 2 layers with anesthetized mares in Trendelenburg position. The cervix was retracted caudally with stay-sutures, and after excision of the healed margin of the laceration, the internal cervical mucosa and fibromuscular tissue were sutured in 1 layer with a continuous Lembert pattern. The external cervical mucosa was sutured using a simple-continuous suture pattern. Number of foals produced by each mare before and after surgical repair was obtained from client/farm communication and from a commercial record keeping service., Results: Mean repair time for 1 laceration was 22 minutes and for 2 lacerations was 29 minutes. Nine mares conceived and 7 had at least 1 live healthy foal., Conclusion: Trendelenburg position allows for efficient repair of a ventrally located cervical laceration in anesthetized mares., (© Copyright 2013 by The American College of Veterinary Surgeons.)

Human very small embryonic-like (hVSEL) cells are a resident population of multipotent stem cells in the bone marrow involved in the turnover and regeneration of tissues. The levels of VSEL cells in blood are greatly increased in response to injury, and they have been shown to repair injured tissues. Adult hVSEL cells, SSEA-4(+)/CD133(+)/CXCR4(+)/Lin(-)/CD45(-), express the pluripotency markers (Oct-4 and Nanog) and may be able to differentiate into cells from all 3 germ lineages. hVSEL cells isolated from blood by apheresis following granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor mobilization were fractionated and enriched by elutriation and fluorescence activated cell sorting. Collagen sponge scaffolds containing 2,000-30,000 hVSEL cells were implanted into cranial defects generated in SCID mice. Analysis by microcomputed tomography showed that a cell population containing VSEL cells produced mineralized tissue within the cranial defects compared with controls at 3 months. Histologic studies showed significant bone formation and cellular organization within the defects compared with cellular or scaffold controls alone. Antibodies to human leukocyte antigens demonstrated that the newly generated tissues were of human origin. Moreover, human osteocalcin was identified circulating in the peripheral blood. There was evidence that some level of hVSEL cells migrated away from the defect site, using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction to detect for human-specific Alu sequences. This study demonstrates that hVSEL cells are able to generate human bone tissue in a mouse model of skeletal repair. These studies lay the foundation for future cell-based regenerative therapies for osseous and connective tissue disorders, including trauma and degenerative conditions, such as osteoporosis, fracture repair, and neoplastic repair.

The clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic features of a horse with a wooden foreign body embedded in the deep portion of the right masseter muscle adjacent to the right orbit are presented. The purpose of this report is to describe the clinical presentation, magnetic resonance imaging findings and treatment of a penetrating wooden foreign body in a horse that had no history of trauma or evidence of a puncture wound. This report documents the usefulness of magnetic resonance imaging to detect a wooden foreign body embedded in the soft tissues of a horse with a chronic copious ocular discharge. Two surgical procedures were necessary, which is a frequent complication encountered with wooden foreign bodies., (© 2012 The Authors. Australian Veterinary Journal © 2012 Australian Veterinary Association.)

Commercially available nylon cable ties were used as a method of internal fixation for displaced rib fractures in 8 equine neonates. The procedure was effective, well-tolerated, rapid, and inexpensive. The use of nylon cable ties as internal fixation for displaced rib fractures in foals is an effective surgical procedure.

Objective: To determine messenger RNA expression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and interleukin- (IL)-1beta from cultured equine smooth muscle cells (SMC)., Sample Population: Segments of palmar digital artery harvested from 6 clinically normal adult horses., Procedure: Explants were collected from the tunica media of arteries for primary culture of SMC. Equine mononuclear cells were used as control cells. Subcultured vascular SMC and control cells were exposed to lipopolysaccharide (20 microg/ml and 100 ng/ml, respectively). Northern blot analysis with equine-specific probes for COX-2, TNF-alpha, and IL-1beta was performed, using isolated total cellular RNA., Results: Although no message was detected for IL-1beta or TNF-alpha in control or endotoxin-exposed equine vascular SMC from all horses, COX-2 underwent a distinct substantial up-regulation after endotoxin exposure. Endotoxin-exposed equine mononuclear cells had up-regulation of IL-1beta and TNF-alpha mRNA., Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Increased expression of COX-2 mRNA by equine vascular SMC may be an important early pathophysiologic event in the onset of endotoxemia in horses. Potentiated local vascular production of various prostanoids after increased expression of mRNA for COX-2 may result in vasoactive events observed with laminitis.

Objective: To describe in horses and ponies a laparoscopic ovariectomy technique facilitated by electrosurgical instrumentation., Study Design: Elective ovariectomy was performed in 23 mares using laparoscopic electrosurgical instrumentation., Animals or Sample Population: Twenty-three mares (13 horses, 10 ponies), aged from 2 to 21 years and weighing 90 to 545 kg., Methods: Food was withheld for a minimum of 12 hours. Mares were sedated with detomidine hydrochloride (0.02 to 0.03 mg/kg) or xylazine hydrochloride (0.5 to 1.0 mg/kg). Excluding the pony mares, all other mares were restrained in stocks. Portal sites in the paralumbar fossa region were desensitized with 2% mepivacaine. Abdominal insufflation was achieved through a teat cannula positioned in the ventral abdomen or a Verres-type needle placed through the paralumbar fossa. After trocar and laparoscope insertion, the ipsilateral ovary and mesovarium were identified, and the mesovarium, tubal membrane, and proper ligament were infiltrated with 2% mepivacaine. The mesovarium was coagulated using bipolar or monopolar electrosurgical forceps and transected sequentially from cranial to caudal until the ovary was completely freed and then removed. The contralateral ovary was removed in a similar fashion through the opposite paralumbar fossa., Results: Bipolar and monopolar electrosurgical forceps were easy to use and provided adequate coagulation of vessels within the mesovarium. Two mares were euthanatized after the procedure for unrelated reasons. One mare had mild signs of colic 24 hours after ovariectomy. In 1 pony mare, the incision used to remove one ovary dehisced on the 5th postoperative day and was allowed to heal by second-intention. No long-term complications had occurred in 11 horses and 10 ponies, 6 to 24 months after surgery., Conclusion: Laparoscopic ovariectomy and hemostasis of the mesovarium can be easily accomplished using electrosurgical instrumentation., Clinical Relevance: Standing laparoscopic ovariectomy, using electrosurgical instrumentation, is an effective and safe technique to provide hemostasis of the mesovarium in mares., (Copyright 2001 by The American College of Veterinary Surgeons)