David G. Schmitz

Renal hypoplasia and dysplasia in an American miniature foal.

Diagnostic imaging, including computed tomography, of a two-month-old foal with renal failure indicated that its right kidney was probably absent and that its left kidney was abnormal in shape. The foal was stabilised and released, but three days later its clinical signs recurred. Postmortem examination revealed renal hypoplasia and dysplasia, the first reported case of this condition in an American miniature horse.

SONOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF INTRAABDOMINAL ABSCESSATION AND LYMPHADENOPATHY ATTRIBUTABLE TO RHODOCOCCUS EQUI INFECTIONS IN FOALS

The sonographic characteristics of intraabdominal abscesses in 11 foals and intraabdominal lymphadenitis in five foals with Rhodococcus equi infections are presented. Intraabdominal abscesses were usually present in the ventral abdomen adjacent to the ventral body wall, well-marginated, and contained a mixed or complex echo pattern. Lymphadenitis appeared as singular or multiple clusters of lymph nodes of mixed echogenicity adjacent to any portion of the gastrointestinal tract or body wall. Sonographic findings were supported by necropsy examinations, but sonographic measurements consistently underestimated the size of abscess.

Starry sky hepatic ultrasonographic pattern in horses.

The starry sky hepatic pattern is an unusual ultrasonographic appearance of equine liver characterized by numerous small, hyperechoic foci, some of which cast an acoustic shadow, distributed randomly throughout the hepatic parenchyma. Our objectives were to describe the signalment, clinical signs, clinicopathological findings, primary disease process, and ultrasonographic findings of horses with this ultrasonographic pattern, as well as determine the associated gross and histologic changes. The starry sky pattern was identified in 18 adult horses of mixed gender and breed. The horses had various clinical signs, with weight loss and anorexia reported most commonly. Liver size and parenchymal echogenicity were normal in most horses. The hyperechoic foci frequently caused acoustic shadowing. Biliary dilation was noted rarely. The ultrasonographic pattern was the result of numerous fibrosing hepatic granulomas in all horses evaluated histologically. γ-Glutamyltransferase was the most commonly elevated hepatic enzyme, though it was increased in fewer than half the horses. Fifteen horses had an additional disease that was identified as the apparent cause of clinical signs. Three horses had primary hepatic disease while 12 had diseases of other body systems. Therefore, the starry sky ultrasonographic pattern is likely incidental in most horses and not clinically significant. Improved recognition of this pattern and further investigation of affected horses may help refine the etiology and clinical significance of the granulomas.

Assessment of clinical reasoning skills in veterinary students prior to and after the clinical year of training.

OBJECTIVE To examine the effect of various clinical tracks within the veterinary medical clinical curriculum at Texas A&M University on clinical diagnostic proficiency as determined by pre- and post-training assessment. We expected that the clinical track chosen by the student would impact their measured outcome with bias toward higher scores in their chosen field. DESIGN Prospective cohort study. STUDY POPULATION 32 students from the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M University. PROCEDURES By use of standardized, written case scenarios, clinical reasoning was assessed twice: once prior to the clinical (fourth) year of the curriculum and again at completion of the clinical year. Students demonstrated their abilities to collect and organize appropriate clinical data (history, physical examination, and laboratory findings), determine clinical diagnoses, and formulate and implement acceptable treatment modalities. Data from clinical assessments were compared for a given cohort and correlated with other measures (eg, grades, standardized test scores, and species-specific curricular track). RESULTS Differences were detected in clinical diagnostic proficiency among students in different clinical tracks and for different species groups in the case scenarios. Tracking by species group in the clinical veterinary curriculum appeared to affect development of clinical reasoning and resulted in differential proficiency among cases for differing species groups. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Differences in clinical experiences between small animal tracks and all other track opportunities (large animal, mixed animal, and alternative) influenced the development of clinical proficiency in fourth-year veterinary students during their clinical training period.

Variances in Reproductive Efficiency of Mares in Fat and Moderate Body Conditions Following Parturition

An increase in time to ovulation after parturition could result in economic loss if the mare does not successfully conceive within a short time after foaling. To evaluate whether a difference exists in reproductive efficiency between mares of either fat (BCS of 7 to 8) or moderate body condition (BCS of 5 to 6), 24 mares were allotted to and maintained in their respective group from late gestation until pregnancy was confirmed after breeding on the second postpartum estrus. No differences were found between the groups in the number of days to foal heat ovulation (14.4 vs. 16.2 d), interovulatory interval (22.9 vs. 24.3 d), and conception rates (91.7 vs. 83.3%; P > 0.05) for fat- and moderately conditioned mares, respectively. This suggests that mares maintained in a fleshy body condition (BCS 7 to 8) are not prone to reproductive dysfunction or lowered levels of fertility. Nevertheless, mares in a moderate body condition did lose a greater percentage of body fat after foaling as compared with fleshier mares (0.82% vs. 0.35%; P < 0.05). The significance of these results reassures breeders that mares in a fleshier body condition are not prone to demonstrate subfertility, but does allude to the fact that mares benefit by foaling at a BCS of at least 6 to avoid diminished reproductive capability that may result from the loss of body fat that occurs at parturition and in early lactation.