Palatal sclerotherapy for the treatment of intermittent dorsal displacement of the soft palate in 51 standardbred racehorses.

This retrospective study evaluated the efficacy and side effects of palatal sclerotherapy in standardbred racehorses suspected to have intermittent dorsal displacement of the soft palate (IDDSP). Fifty-one horses were treated with multiple endoscopically guided injections of 3% sodium tetradecyl sulfate in the soft palate. Two groups were identified: those that had respiratory noises during exercise (n = 27) and those that did not (n = 24). Treatment was well-tolerated. Furthermore, horses significantly reduced their racing times for the last 400 m compared with their times before treatment and even when their times were compared to the mean times for horses in the same race. In conclusion, palatal sclerotherapy appears to be a suitable alternative therapeutic option for horses suspected to have IDDSP.

Histological and biomechanical effects of palatal sclerotherapy in the horse using sodium tetradecyl sulfate.

Palatal sclerotherapy using sodium tetradecyl sulfate has been suggested as a treatment for dorsal displacement of the soft palate in young Standardbred horses. The present study evaluated histological and biomechanical changes in the equine soft palate following trans-endoscopic treatment with a low dose of this compound. Two horses were euthanased and examined at 2 weeks and at 1, 2, 4 and 6 months post-sclerotherapy, while two further horses served as untreated controls. The technique was easily performed in all cases without major complications. On histological examination there was no evidence of palatal necrosis, inflammation or fibrosis in any of the treated or control animals. There was no variation in the density of palatal connective tissue between individuals, and on biomechanical assessment no significant difference in the stiffness of the palatal tissue was found between treated and control horses at any time. The lower dose of sodium tetradecyl sulfate used in this study relative to previous reports, might explain the absence of tissue alterations. This method of sclerotherapy did not alter the morphology or biomechanical properties of normal equine soft palates.

Palatal sclerotherapy: a potentially useful treatment of intermittent dorsal displacement of the soft palate in juvenile standardbred racehorses.

This study was aimed at evaluating the tolerability and the efficacy of palatal sclerotherapy in juvenile standardbred racehorses with easily audible "snoring-like" respiratory noises suspected to be the result of intermittent dorsal displacement of the soft palate. The palate of 8 horses was injected with sodium tetradecyl sulfate under videoendoscopic guidance. Palatal sclerotherapy resulted in resolution of the respiratory noise in 7 horses, improvement of performance in 6 horses, and mild side effects in only 3 horses. This preliminary study suggests that palatal sclerotherapy is a safe, repeatable, inexpensive, and promising technique that should be considered as an alternative to existing treatments of intermittent dorsal displacement of the soft palate.

Effects of syringe type and storage temperature on results of blood gas analysis in arterial blood of horses.

BACKGROUND: Results of arterial blood gas analysis can be biased by pre-analytical factors, such as time to analysis, syringe type, and temperature during storage. However, the acceptable delay between time of collection and analysis for equine arterial blood gas remains unknown. HYPOTHESIS: Dedicated plastic syringes provide better stability of arterial blood gases than multipurpose plastic syringes. ANIMALS: Eight mares, 1 stallion, and 1 gelding, ages 3 to 10 years old. METHODS: Arterial blood samples were collected in a glass syringe, a plastic syringe designated for blood gas collection, and a multipurpose tuberculin plastic syringe. Blood samples were stored at ambient temperature or in iced water. For each sample, partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood (PaO2), partial pressure of carbon dioxide in arterial blood (PaCO2), and pH were measured within a few minutes of collection and at 5, 20, 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes after collection. RESULTS: Collection into glass syringes stored in iced water provided adequate PaO2 results for up to 117 +/- 35 minutes, whereas blood collected in either of the plastic syringes resulted in a variation >10 mm Hg after 10 +/- 3 to 17 +/- 2 minutes, depending on the storage conditions. Plastic syringes kept at ambient temperature offered more stability for PaCO2 analysis because they could be stored up to 83 +/- 16 minutes without significant variations. Values of pH did not show variations more than 0.02 for the first hour, irrespectively of storage condition. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Glass syringes placed on ice are preferable for analysis of PaO2. Blood collected in plastic syringes should be analyzed within 10 minutes, irrespective of the storage temperature, to ensure the accuracy of PaO2 values.

Diagnostic and epidemiological features of Lawsonia intracellularis enteropathy in 2 foals.

Two clinical cases of equine proliferative enteropathy are described. Both foals had a positive fecal polymerase chain reaction, but shedding of the bacterium stopped <4 days after therapy was initiated. One foal was serologically positive 3 days after onset of clinical signs and remained positive for more than 6 months.