Current treatment of ascending colon volvulus in horses: a survey of ACVS Diplomates.

OBJECTIVE: To report the results of a survey of opinions on current treatments and estimated outcomes of ascending colon volvulus in horses. STUDY DESIGN: Web-based survey. SAMPLE POPULATION: American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) Diplomates (n = 151) who perform gastrointestinal surgery in horses. METHODS: ACVS Diplomates with credentials in the large animal specialty obtained by examination in 2010 or earlier (n = 410) were solicited by e-mail to complete a web-based survey designed to determine ascending colon volvulus treatment preferences and outcomes. RESULTS: Responses were obtained from 162 ACVS Diplomates, of which 151 currently performed gastrointestinal surgery in horses. Horses surgically treated with ascending colon volvulus accounted for ≤ 20 cases/year and primary treatment was most often anatomic reduction with or without pelvic flexure enterotomy. Median estimated survival rate was 70% and surgical treatments were not associated with estimated survival (P = .27). Diplomates identified early surgical correction as the single most important factor impacting survival of horses surgically treated for ascending colon volvulus. CONCLUSIONS: Reported survival rates for horses with ascending colon volvulus were good. Respondents indicated this might be due in part to early surgical treatment. Survey investigations can provide preliminary data for future prospective studies and facilitate a consensus among Diplomates in treatment of surgical disease.

Knowledge base and effectiveness of online continuing education about foreign animal diseases for equine veterinarians.

The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of two different methods of online education using the knowledge base of African horse sickness (AHS) among US equine veterinarians as a model. An e-mail was sent to US veterinary members of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP), inviting them to participate in a complementary online educational opportunity. We determined participants' baseline knowledge of AHS by their responses in an AHS case scenario. Participants were then randomly assigned to either a Webinar module or a text-formatted module, followed by an educational assessment quiz. Educational effectiveness was measured by considering the difference between the educational assessment quiz score and the baseline knowledge score. Of the 5,394 members from the AAEP list, 309 veterinarians agreed to participate, but only 211 completed the entire study. The median baseline knowledge score from the case scenario was 20 out of a perfect score of 100 points. The median assessment quiz score after the participants had access to the AHS educational material was 90, which was significantly higher than the baseline knowledge score (p=.01). Educational effectiveness in the module formats showed no significant difference (p=.81). Results from this study suggest that online education modules, once accessed, may improve participants' knowledge of veterinary diseases.