[Acute pain in the horse and one possibility for its objective evaluation]. / Uber den akuten Schmerz beim Pferd und eine Möglichkeit seiner objektiven Bestimmung.

To judge acute processes of pain objectively the results are told of a determination of adrenaline and noradrenaline in the plasma of 30 horses suffering from pain. Besides a scheme basing on an awarding of points is developed to ascertain changes of physiological and ethological parameters caused by pain. These results in changes of behaviour are compared to results determined by laboratory experiments. Concerning pain of medium and high level a relation to the concentration of catecholamines is noticed. Therefore the total of certain clinical observations is suitable for graduating acute pain in horses.

[Possibilities and limits of pulse oximetry for monitoring anesthesia in horses]. / Möglichkeiten und Grenzen der Pulsoximetrie bei der Narkoseüberwachung des Pferdes.

In this paper the measurement technique pulse oximetry is examined in 25 halothane-anaesthetized horses. Furthermore measures are presented which lead to a successful sensor placement at the tongue of the horse. The hemoglobin saturation determined by the pulse oximeter (SaO2) correlated very well with the hemoglobin saturation calculated by blood gas analysis (sO2). Nevertheless in the range of low saturation the pulse oximeter increasingly overestimates sO2. Pulse oximetry is an important progress in equine patient monitoring. A decline of oxygen saturation in the blood is detected immediately and the registration of the pulse amplitude renders a rough estimation of the quality of peripheral perfusion.

[The treatment basis for anticoagulants in horses]. / Zu den Behandlungsgrundlagen mit Antikoagulantien beim Pferd.

The pharmacokinetics of racemic phenprocoumon were studied in 8 adult horses after the single intravenous and oral administration of 0.75 mg/kg. After i.v. administration the plasma concentration of phenprocoumon showed a biphasic decline in time. The pharmacokinetics were calculated on the two-compartment open model. The average plasma half-life (beta-phase) was 22 hours, the apparent volume of distribution was 0.61 l/kg, Cltot was 25.2 ml/kg/h (13.9-40.9 ml/kg/h). The systemic bioavailability of oral phenprocoumon was 97.6%, Tmax was found to be 4-12 hours. The effect of phenprocoumon on the coagulation system was determined by the activity of Factor X, the Quick's one stage prothrombin time and the PTT. Factor X showed the most marked effect. A reduction of the content of Factor X was seen over 7-9 days, it decreased to 11-33%. Quick's one stage prothrombin time was reduced over 4-8 days, the lowest values were 22-55%. The PTT showed only a small reaction on the single administration of 0.75 mg/kg phenprocoumon. Differences in the effect on the coagulation between the i.v. and the oral administration could not be observed. In comparison to warfarin, phenprocoumon showed a longer t0.5 (beta) and produced a markedly longer hypothrombogenic reaction. Therefore phenprocoumon appeared to be more suitable for a long term anticoagulation therapy in horses than the structurally related warfarin.

[The diagnosis of morbus maculosus in horses]. / Ein Beitrag zum Krankheitsbild des Morbus maculosus equorum.

This is a review on Morbus maculosus equorum (purpura haemorrhagica) on the base of literature data and of a case report on 13 own patients. It is shown, that the clinical picture of this disease has not changed within the last 150 years. Clinical main symptoms are haemorrhagic diathesis (petechiae, ecchymosis, suggillations) as well as peripheral edema and fever. The main haematological findings are neutrophilia, mostly going along with shift to the left and lymphopenia. In the last few years thrombocytopenia was also described in some cases. Basic therapeutics are glucocorticoids and penicillins. Problems of differential diagnosis and of nomenclature are discussed.

[The effect of vitamin H substitution on the growth and condition of hooves]. / Der Einfluss einer Vitamin-H-Substitution auf Wachstum und Beschaffenheit des Hufhorns.

A long-term treatment with biotin (vitamin H) in 5 warm-blooded horses and 10 trotter horses is reported. The dose of 0.031-0.037 mg/kg body weight was well tolerated, and with a therapy period up to 10 months an improvement of the horn quality of the growing hoof could be attained as it had not been possible before with other measures. Biotin (Gabiotan) is recommendable as a therapeutic in all cases of hoof problems which are based on disturbed horn elasticity.

Use of bumetanide, a potent diuretic, to obtain urinary samples for dope testing in horses.

Use of the potent, high-ceiling diuretic bumetanide made it possible to obtain urinary samples for dope testing of trotters within the 1st hour after the race. The drug was injected intravenously at a dose level of 10 mug/kg during the cold season of the year, but on warm days, a dose of 20 mug/kg was more reliable. These doses did not produce any side-effects and did not interfere with the detection of doping drugs, since bumetanide is not metabolized to a detectable degree and the unchanged drug appears only in extracts from acidic urine. By enhancing the clearance of drugs used for doping, bumetanide even provides favorable conditions for detection of such drugs.