ABSTRACT
Immunohistochemical investigations of the expression of surfactant protein A (SP-A) and surfactant protein D (SP-D) in the uterine and placental tissues of 13 pregnant mares were performed using anti-horse monoclonal primary antibodies. Strong positive reactions for both SP-A and SP-D were observed in the trophoblasts in the microcotyledons of the placentae at 182 to 314 days of gestation; in uterine glandular epithelial cells, faint-to-weak reactions were observed during gestation. This study describes, for the first time, the changes in the SP-A and SP-D expression levels in the endometrium of mares during gestation; the SP-A and SP-D expression levels increased after the second trimester of gestation.
Subject(s)
Placenta , Uterus , Animals , Endometrium , Female , Horses , Pregnancy , Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein A , Surface-Active AgentsABSTRACT
This study compares clinical characteristics between induction with thiopental/guaifenesin and propofol/ketamine in Thoroughbred racehorses anesthetized with sevoflurane and medetomidine. Clinical records of 214 horses that underwent arthroscopic surgery between 2015 and 2016 were retrospectively retrieved. Horses were premedicated with medetomidine and midazolam to sedate at the adequate level for smooth induction, and then induced with either thiopental (4.0 mg/kg) and guaifenesin (100 mg/kg) in Group TG (n=91) or propofol (1.0 mg/kg) and ketamine (1.0 mg/kg) in Group PK (n=123). Anesthesia was maintained using sevoflurane with constant rate infusion of medetomidine. Quality of induction/recovery, sevoflurane requirement, cardiovascular function and recovery characteristics were evaluated. Anesthetic induction scores (median, range) for Group TG (5, 2-5) and Group PK (5, 2-5) were not significantly different. There were no significant differences in end-tidal sevoflurane concentration (mean ± standard deviation) between Group TG and Group PK (both 2.4 ± 0.2%). Dobutamine infusion rate (µg/kg/min) required for keeping mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) above 70 mmHg in Group PK (0.43, 0.10-1.40) was significantly lower than in Group TG (0.67, 0.08-1.56). Recovery score in Group PK (5, 2-5) was significantly higher than in Group TG (4, 2-5). Both propofol/ketamine and thiopental/guaifenesin provided a smooth induction of anesthesia. Moreover, induction with propofol/ketamine resulted in lower dobutamine requirements for keeping MAP above 70 mmHg during maintenance, and better quality of recovery. Induction with propofol/ketamine would be preferable to thiopental/guaifenesin in Thoroughbred racehorses anesthetized with sevoflurane and medetomidine during arthroscopic surgery.
ABSTRACT
Equine scintigraphy has been legally permitted in Japan since 2009; however, it has not yet been a routine modality for horses. One reason is the legal regulations concerning the disposal of contaminated bedding. However, overseas, the bedding after scintigraphy can be disposed following radioactivity decay, but this is not allowed in Japan. Therefore, beddings are required to stored permanently in a controlled area, implying that large amounts of beddings such as straw would be kept untreated, which is quite unpractical. This may cause a hospital owner to hesitate to construct an equine scintigraphy facility. Therefore, it is proposed that water-dispersed paper bedding is disposed as aqueous waste after radioactivity decay. The purpose of this study was to check the availability of bedding, thus radioisotopes were not used in this study. Three horses were housed individually in stalls covered with water-dispersed paper bedding for 48 hr. Physical condition, including body weight, was monitored, and a complete blood cell count and biochemical analysis were conducted. The results revealed that physical conditions and results of blood analysis were all stable within the normal range, and the veterinarian did not find any specific abnormality in any of the three horses. No marked changes in the levels of blood cortisol were observed before and after stalling, suggesting almost no stress for the horses. Because the water-dispersed paper bedding did not negatively affect the horses, it can be used as a substitute for conventional straw bedding.
