Good Mustangs
and Burros! Really? PDF Article by Britt and Stuart Porter
Benny
On the morning of October 13, 2007 Benny Castle, a 2
year old miniature donkey, was found caught in a fence hanging from
his left front fetlock. His owners quickly helped him out of the fence
and got him safely to a bedded area of the barn. As the Castles were
examining Benny, they noticed that he was very reluctant to bear any
weight on his left front leg. There was a lot of swelling around the
fetlock and pastern regions, and there were several small lacerations
and abrasions here as well. The Castles called Loomis Basin Equine,
and Dr. Molly Dinucci drove to the Castle’s to examine Benny.
On presentation, he was lying in a bedded corner of
the barn covered with a horse blanket. He didn’t even raise
his head to greet the veterinarian, as he normally would. As Dr. Dinucci
started to examine Benny, she could see that he was very dehydrated,
stressed, and lethargic. He had corneal ulcers on both of his eyes
that likely occurred when he was struggling to get out of the fence.
His left front fetlock and pastern regions were swollen and very sensitive
to palpation. There was a small laceration over the medial aspect
of his pastern, as well as several small skin abrasions. After further
examination of the injured leg, Dr. Dinucci suspected Benny may have
torn one of the collateral ligaments of the fetlock. This condition
makes the joint very unstable when manipulated medially to laterally.
She recommended he come to the hospital for radiographs and supportive
care. Dr. Dinucci splinted the leg, and the Castles hauled Benny to
the hospital.
When Benny arrived at Loomis Basin Equine Medical Center,
radiographs were taken of his left front fetlock. Several views were
taken including special views while the joint was stressed medially
and laterally. The radiographs revealed a partial luxation of the
fetlock joint and a small fracture that was most likely associated
with the lateral collateral ligament. Blood work was also evaluated
for Benny, and it showed evidence of severe muscle damage and some
minor changes to his kidney values.
Benny was given heavy sedation so he could lay quietly and comfortably
during initial treatment. His pastern joint was tapped to ensure that
the laceration did not communicate with the joint. Thankfully, the
joint was not contaminated, and the laceration was sutured. Benny’s
leg was placed in a cast which extended from his foot to just below
his carpus. An IV catheter was then placed in his jugular vein, and
he was started on IV fluids, Banamine, and antibiotics. His eyes were
treated with triple antibiotic ophthalmic ointment to help heal the
corneal ulcers. Benny was moved to a stall and was treated overnight.
The following morning, Benny was a new man! He was bright,
well-hydrated, and had an excellent appetite. He was walking around
very comfortably in his cast. We were very pleased with his progress,
and he was sent home on stall confinement, triple antibiotic eye ointment,
oral antibiotics, Banamine, and two days of intramuscular butorphanol
to help with pain. Benny’s family was very happy to get to take
him home.
At his first recheck appointment, Benny had made good
progress. He was wearing the cast very comfortably…maybe a little
too comfortably. He had worn a large hole through the bottom of the
cast because he had been pawing at the stall door. Obviously, Benny
was ready to get out of his stall, but, unfortunately, he still needed
several more weeks of stall confinement to allow his injury to heal
properly. Because the cast was holding up well, we decided to leave
it on for a few more weeks.
On November 27, 2007, Benny came to the hospital for
his next recheck. The cast was removed and the joint reevaluated.
The surgeon was very impressed with the stability of Benny’s
fetlock joint. The wound on his pastern had healed quite well, and
the sutures were removed. Benny was placed in a splint, using one
half of the cast that he previously wore. The cast was placed along
the back of his leg, and bandaging material was used to hold it in
place. Benny was sent home in the splint on stall confinement with
20 minutes of paddock turn-out per day. The Castle’s were instructed
to reset Benny’s splint every other day. His next recheck appointment
was scheduled for a month later.
Benny returned to the hospital for his next recheck on January 3,
2008. He had been doing well in his splint. In fact, he was back to
playing a little bit of soccer, which was his favorite thing to do
before he was injured. Although playing soccer was not exactly what
we had in mind for his 20 minutes of turnout each day, we were very
pleased that he was so comfortable on the leg. We took radiographs
of his fetlock to make sure the joint was healing properly. The fetlock
was stable medially to laterally, and the fractured piece of bone
did not show evidence of reactivity.
Because he was healing so well, Benny graduated from
the splint to wearing a heavy bandage. The plan was then to keep him
in the bandage for another 4 weeks. He still needed to be on stall
confinement and paddock turnout during this time. After the 4 weeks,
he will graduate to a smaller bandage for another month. Then, in
March, if he is still doing well, he will no longer need to be bandaged!
Benny is currently doing very well. We are expecting
him to fully recover and be back to playing soccer full-time in a
couple of months!
Infinite’s
Little Miracle
| Late on a Sunday evening, a very pregnant mare presented
to Loomis Basin for emergency evaluation and treatment of a severe
colic episode. Infinite, a former Standardbred racehorse turned
broodmare, was 355 days in foal (which in the average mare is
considered “overdue” though gestation length can vary
considerably). She was treated medically with IV fluids, pain
medication for her colic symptoms, but her pain and systemic stability
continued to deteriorate. Based on ultrasound, the fetus began
showing signs of distress as well. Colic surgery was determined
to be the only way to attempt saving the mare; however, surgery
on a very pregnant mare has greatly increased risks as well as
increased costs. For these reasons, her owners decided that surgical
treatment was not an option for her. Unfortunately, the humane
choice was to euthanize the mare. |
|
|
Trinity with Dr. Fielding |
Trinity on Oxygen |
Much deliberation went into what to do with the
fetus. In horses, it is very difficult to save a foal that is
taken early from the mare, either by C-section or induction. These
babies undergo crucial development in the final days before birth
and usually do not do well even a few days “premature”.
Because this mare was so far along and was starting to “bag
up” (indicating that delivery was not too far off), we decided
to try rescuing the foal. The baby was taken by C-section before
the mare was put to sleep. Preparations were made to resuscitate
the foal once it was surgically delivered. The strong little filly
began breathing on her own immediately, but did require immediate
oxygen therapy and cardiovascular support. Over the next week,
all of her body systems required support to get them functioning
on their own: she was fed through a feeding tube, received medications
to ensure proper kidney function, remained on oxygen therapy,
received antibiotics and plasma to protect from infection that
can occur with an immature immune system. |
 |
Autopsy of her mother showed that she had a large
enterolith (intestinal stone) that was completely obstructing
her colon with the possibility of causing it to rupture; immediate
surgical removal would have been the only way to save the mare
but that would have greatly increased the risk to the foal. |
Enterolith from Infinite |
|
| We are proud to report that this sweet little filly has learned
to drink milk from a pan and is now maintaining all of her own
needs with properly functioning organ systems! She will be raised
as an orphan, but she has such a strong will to live that she
will do her mother’s legacy proud! We are excited to watch
and see the exciting things that she will do in her lifetime,
knowing that we all had an integral part in giving her that life!
|
| |
Cassandra and Grace
with Trinity |
Echo
“Echo” Knight, a 3 year old Morgan stallion,
was found acutely down and unable to rise in pasture. 
He
was examined on emergency by Dr. Anne Hitchcock of LBEMC who found
no obvious evidence of trauma or musculoskeletal injury. He had normal
mental status, a good appetite and normal cranial nerve function.
A horse cannot stay down for long periods because the weight of their
body compromises blood flow to their muscles and reduces their respiratory
capacity. Consequently, Dr. Hitchcock recommended transport to the
hospital where slinging would be attempted. He was trailered by Joe
Marchese who hauls horses for the clinic under many different circumstances.
Upon arrival, Echo was laying in the trailer making
no attempts to rise. He was sedated and pulled from the trailer using
our “slide” which is designed for moving recumbent horses.
He was pulled into the stall where we were able to apply the three
main pieces of the Anderson sling (the belly support, the chest piece
and the hind end support piece). This was all done under sedation
which left his fully conscious but reduced his anxiety. This approach
to moving him was possible because he is such a mild mannered horse.
Often times, horses must be fully anesthetized for this procedure
for the safety of the 
horse
and personnel involved.
A reversal agent was then used to diminish the effects
of the sedative, and he was then hoisted to his feet with the sling.
A strong prognostic indicator of long-term success of slinging is
the ability of the horse to use his legs once he has been assisted
to stand. At first, Echo did not make much effort to support himself.
After an hour, he was able to straighten his legs and bear some weight,
but he was still using the sling for most of his stability. Echo remained
in this sling for the next 18 days showing slow, but constant improvement.
It takes a very special horse to tolerate the sling as well as Echo
did for so many days. Multiple attempts were made to unhook him from
the sling and let him stand freely; these first attempts were met
with rapid falls into the soft bedding. He would be hoisted back up
and would stand comfortably in the sling again. Over time, he was
able to stand for 10 minutes per day with assistance from the technicians
and then 20 minutes per day.
Due to the commitment of his owner and the patience
and round-the-clock nursing care provided by the staff at Loomis 
Basin,
Echo is now free from the sling, able to lie down and rise on his
own, and able to ambulate successfully around the stall (He even manages
an awkward buck every now and then).
Echo was initially treated for all of the likely causes
of acute onset neurologic diseases including Equine Protozoal Myelitis,
West Nile Virus, traumatic spinal cord injuries and some less common
encephalitis viruses. His West Nile test came back positive indicating
recent exposure to WNV and making this the most likely diagnosis.
Although he had been vaccinated previously, he had not
received a booster for almost one year. This case supports recommendations
made by LBEMC and UC Davis to vaccinate your horses every 6 months
for WNV and to time the booster to come just before the prevalent
season (July-October).
Echo will continue on anti-inflammatory therapy and
anti-oxidant therapy as his spinal cord heals. He will also undergo
controlled rehabilitation to limit the risk of injuring himself. Most
horses that recover from the acute phase of WNV can be expected to
make a full recovery. Our staff became very attached to Echo during
his long stay here, and we are excited to see him back at home living
his normal life!
Tyzzer’s
Disease
Perpetually Pretty’s 06 colt was very healthy
and normal at birth, but, at 10 days of age, his owner, John and Bonnie
Ball, found him down and non-responsive in the pasture. Dr. Katzman
paid an emergency visit right away, recognized the severity of his
illness and quickly referred him to the hospital. Upon arrival, he
had a very low heart rate, severe hypoglycemia (extremely low blood
sugar), acidemia (acid build up in his blood) and hypovolemic shock
(decreased blood volume). He also had seriously elevated liver enzymes,
indicating active destruction/damage to his liver tissues. An ultrasound
of his liver showed marked enlargement and an abnormal pattern to
his liver, indicating swelling/edema of his liver.
All of these findings made Dr. Fielding suspicious
for Tyzzer’s disease, a liver infection that affects foals in
their first month of life. These foals are often found dead before
any signs are noticed with the diagnosis made on autopsy. There are
only a few reports of successful treatment for this disease. Based
on his suspicions and clinical findings, the colt was started immediately
on fluid resuscitation, intravenous glucose and a continuous infusion
of a potent antibiotic. He had severely traumatized his eyes by thrashing
on the ground before he became unconscious; medical treatment was
instituted for his eyes (topical antibiotics, pain medication, etc.).
The colt became responsive once his blood parameters
were corrected. He began to show interest in nursing and interacting
with his mother. He was supported with continuous IV treatment for
several days until his liver had time to heal and start to function
normally.
He was discharged to his owners with antibiotics to continue fighting
the liver infection and with long term treatment for the ulcerations
on his eyes. Dr. Morgan performed multiple recheck examinations of
the colt over the next few months and has now given him a clean bill
of health without any detectable long term effects. Due to the close
attention paid by his owners, the quick action of all veterinarians
involved, and the long-term diligent care given, he is now a happy,
healthy, very lucky weanling colt
 |
 |
Second day in hospital |
Home and healthy |
Jillian
Dollar Baby
During late-term pregnancy, Antonia, a miniature donkey,
stopped eating and was acting very lethargic. Inappetance in 
miniature
donkeys, miniature horses or ponies is very concerning, as they are
prone to a condition called hyperlipemia which then leads to “Fatty
liver syndrome”. Late term pregnancy increases the concern as
the fetus is in maximal growth and is drawing large amounts of energy
from the mother. This puts both the mother and baby at risk if there
is not adequate intake of energy.
Antonia was admitted to the hospital for evaluation
and treatment. Her bloodwork confirmed elevated triglycerides in her
blood because her body was breaking down her fat stores to provide
energy to the fetus. This high volume of triglycerides in the blood
overwhelms the liver making the patient feel even worse and further
depressing her appetite. She was also dehydrated. The expectant mother
was treated with intravenous nutrition including glucose and amino
acids, insulin to control her blood glucose and intravenous fluids
for hydration. A fetal ultrasound was performed which confirmed a
live and active fetus.
Because
her exact due date was unknown, Antonia’s owners, Lucie and
Chet Morrell, made the commitment to keep her hospitalized and supported
until the baby was born. She began feeling better and started eating,
but still required some degree of support for a full 10 days until
she delivered a healthy little girl with an uncomplicated delivery.
This long awaited baby earned herself the name “Jillian Dollar
Baby.” Mild post-partum complications included failure of passive
transfer in the baby (requiring a plasma transfusion) and a degree
of confusion by Antonia as to what she was supposed to do with this
new little occupant of her stall. After some patience and positive
reinforcement by Dr. Higgins, technicians and the owner, Antonia and
Jill worked out their confusion and left the hospital happy, healthy
and bonded!
 |
 |
Antonia admitted to the hospital
|
Antonia and Jillian at home |
Renal
Toxicity
LD, a two month old Quarter horse colt, presented to
Loomis Basin Equine Medical Center for the complaints of lethargy,
not eating, mild colic and not passing much manure. He had been treated
with Banamine overnight by the veterinarian in his area. He was treated
here initially with mineral oil via nasogastric tube to help relieve
a possible gastrointestinal obstruction. Further diagnostics including
abdominal radiographs and bloodwork were also performed. His bloodwork
revealed moderately elevated kidney enzymes which we were hopeful
would come down quickly with IV fluid therapy. He also had an elevated
white blood cell count. Upon further investigation of his lungs, he
was found to have a low-grade pneumonia as evidenced by pulmonary
ultrasound.
Based on all of these findings, he was placed on antibiotics and heavy
fluid therapy. Overnight, he remained completely inappetant and depressed;
he did pass some manure and was urinating very dilute urine with traces
of blood. His kidney values were not any better after 24 hours of
fluid therapy indicating that he was truly in kidney failure. Ultrasound
of his kidneys indicated swelling/enlargement but no other definitive
abnormalities. Toxic causes of renal failure were high on our list
of differentials, as were congenital abnormalities or infectious causes.
Further questions were asked of the owner regarding substances such
as oleander; this triggered her memory, and she reported that he had
gotten out and was down by the oleander bushes the day before he got
sick. We submitted samples for testing and informed her that his chances
for survival were very low considering that adult horses frequently
die from very small doses. We placed a feeding tube and began feeding
milk every two hours in order to support him nutritionally. We also
started treating him with Biosponge (an intestinal adsorbent to help
bind toxins in his GI tract).
LD was very lucky to have committed owners who continued with treatment.
We were finally able to bring his kidney values down into normal ranges,
his appetite perked up, and by the time he went home, he was acting
almost like a normal 2 month old colt. His tests did come back positive
for oleandrin (the toxic substance in oleander). LD is a VERY LUCKY
little baby, and his owners have reported that they will be getting
rid of the oleander bushes just as soon as they can!!!
Typical symptoms of oleander toxicity include rapid/irregular
heart beat, colic, diarrhea, kidney failure and sometimes sudden death.
Often, by the time these signs are noticed, it is too late. If you
suspect your horse may have ingested oleander, please call your veterinarian
right away to institute preventative/supportive care.
LD
on the road to recovery |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
| The toxic substance of oleander is found
in all portions of the plant, and, although the plant is bitter,
livestock will readily eat it including the dried leaves and flowers.
Discarded lawn clippings that contain oleander leaves are a common
source of livestock poisoning. A handful of leaves can kill a
bovine or a horse, and a single leaf can be lethal to a human.
This plant is unsafe in the vicinity of livestock and should be
confined to its most frequent location--the median divider of
freeways. |
“Bandit”
Ferrero
Bandit, a 7 month old Paint colt, presented on emergency
for fevers, lethargy, history of diarrhea, colic and weakness. The
most striking finding on his laboratory work was an extremely low
protein level in his blood, as well as a very low white blood cell
count. The initial goal was to determine where and why he was losing
so much protein. Because he was recently acquired by his new owners,
he had never been dewormed, which is critical for weanling/yearling
horses. Severe intestinal parasitism can cause the symptoms he was
experiencing, as can a fairly rare intracellular bacteria that can
invade the intestinal tract of horses his age (Lawsonia intracellularis).
There is a treatment for Lawsonia, but if he is treated without having
the disease, then it can make him much sicker. Ultrasound of his abdomen
revealed to us that he did have severely inflamed loops of small intestine,
and a belly tap showed us that he had signs of moderate inflammation/toxicity
in his abdominal cavity. A fecal exam showed many parasite eggs confirming
heavy parasitism, and his half-sister at home had begun passing dead
worms in her manure following treatment. We began cautiously treating
him for parasitism, as we did not want to kill all the worms at once
and cause him to become impacted. Because his condition continued
to deteriorate, he was treated also with aggressive supportive care
including IV fluids with synthetic proteins, plasma transfusions,
antibiotics, intravenous Lidocaine, drugs to control endotoxemia,
and pain medication while we awaited the test results for Lawsonia
intracellularis. Over a period of a few days, he slowly began to respond
to the treatment, became more comfortable and started eating more.
Finally, his PCR test result came back confirming that he was shedding
Lawsonia intracellularis in his manure. The combination of the two
problems was likely the reason that he was so severely debilitated.
He was started on the specific drug for Lawsonia and was slowly weaned
off of the supportive treatments. After spending over one week in
the intensive care unit, Bandit was finally released to go home. His
half-sister at home who was the same age, was also tested for the
bacteria, but she was luckily negative. Following a 3 week course
of treatment, he is slowly rebuilding his protein levels, and is regaining
the energy and vigor that a normal 7 month old colt should have! Bandit
was very lucky to have such dedicated owners who were determined to
pull him through this life-threatening illness.
Benny
