Cardiovascular evaluation of lowland gorillas.

OBJECTIVE: To design a diagnostic protocol that uses appropriate techniques, including ultrasonography, to assess cardiovascular health and detect primary cardiac diseases in gorillas and to establish a database of reference values for cardiac measurements in clinically normal gorillas. DESIGN: Prospective study. ANIMALS: 5 adult male lowland gorillas from 11 to 18 years old. PROCEDURE: A complete cardiac evaluation was performed on anesthetized gorillas, including physical examination, thoracic radiography, electrocardiography, echocardiography, blood pressure determination, CBC, serum biochemical analyses, and serologic assay for viral diseases. Standard cardiac measurements were made from images collected during ultrasonography. RESULTS: Cardiac measurements derived from ultrasonographic images were consistent with those considered normal in human beings. Results of other diagnostic tests were also considered normal. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Cardiac disease is the primary cause of mortality in old captive gorillas. The technique used here provided excellent evaluation of cardiac function. Use of these techniques will allow early detection of cardiac disease, making treatment or medical management possible.

Stress reactions and stress fractures of the proximal palmar aspect of the third metacarpal bone in horses: 58 cases (1980-1990).

The case records, radiographs, and nuclear bone scans of 58 horses with stress reactions or stress fractures of the proximal palmar aspect of the third metacarpal bone (MC3) were reviewed. There were 47 Standardbreds, 4 Quarter Horses, 3 Thoroughbreds, 2 Arabians, 1 Oldenburg, and 1 Pony of America. Fifty-six of the horses were racehorses or performance horses. The mean and median ages of affected horses were 4 and 3 years, respectively. Lameness ranged from mild to severe. Physical findings were usually subtle and included signs of pain on deep palpation of the proximal palmar aspect of MC3 and slight effusion of the middle carpal joint in some cases. Lameness was commonly improved by high palmar and palmar metacarpal nerve blocks or anesthesia of the middle carpal joint. Fifty-three horses had higher than normal radiopharmaceutical uptake in the proximal palmar aspect of MC3 in the left or right limb. The other 5 horses had higher than normal radiopharmaceutical uptake bilaterally. Fifty-six of the 63 limbs with abnormal bone scans also had abnormal radiographs. Treatment consisted of a variable period of rest (1 to 6 months). Healing was best assessed by follow-up bone scans. Of the 45 horses for which follow-up information was adequate, 29 (64%) returned to their previous level of performance.