Seventeen horses with a total of 18 ocular or periorbital squamous cell carcinomas were irradiated with Strontium-90 surface therapy, or Radon-222, Iodine-125, or Iridium-192 interstitial implants. Tumors were surgically cytoreduced prior to irradiation in all but two horses. Follow-up datawas obtained for 2 years in each horse. Two-year non-recurrence rates (no grossly visible evidence of tumor) were 87.5% for wSr beta therapy, and 60% (70% when corrected for non-tumor-related deaths) for interstitial implant therapy. Data regarding frequency of occurrence, location of lesions, age of onset, and non-recurrence rates were similar to previous literature reports utilizing variable or shorter follow-up periods. The effects of cytoreductive surgery of the tumors was not studied.

Summary This study determined the effects of epidurally administered morphine, ketamine and butorphanol on halothane minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) in ponies. Seven ponies were anaesthetised with thiopentone and succinylcholine, intubated and anaesthesia maintained with halothane. Ventilation was controlled and blood pressure was maintained within normal limits. Following the determination of baseline halothane MAC for the pelvic and thoracic limbs the ponies were given morphine (0.1 mg/kg bwt), ketamine (0.8 or 1.2 mg/kg bwt), butorphanol (0.05 mg/kg bwt) or saline, epidurally, to a final volume of 0.15 ml/kg bwt. The halothane MAC for the pelvic and thoracic limbs was redetermined following each treatment. The baseline halothane MAC for the control group was mean ± s.e. 0.85 ± 0.02% and no significant change occurred after saline administration. Morphine significantly (P = 0.002) decreased MAC from, mean ± s.e. 0.90 ± 0.05% to 0.77 ± 0.06% in the pelvic limb. Ketamine significantly decreased MAC in the pelvic limb from mean ± s.e. 0.86 ± 0.06% to 0.71 ± 0.04%, and 0.82 ± 0.03% to 0.71 ± 0.02%, for the low (P = 0.008) and high dose (P = 0.001), respectively. No significant change in MAC occurred following butorphanol. No treatment reduced halothane MAC for the thoracic limb.

Peripheral blood can be a valuable source of adult stem cells, if one can identify reliable equine-specific markers, provide methods to increase the number of circulating progenitor cells and optimise cell culture conditions for growth and viability. Our findings are important for further studies towards technological advances in basic and clinical equine regenerative medicine.

Summary The effect of i.v. acepromazine (0.05 mg/kg bwt), butorphanol (0.05 mg/kg bwt) and a combination of acepromazine and butorphanol on halothane minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) was determined in 7 mixed‐breed ponies. Ventilation was controlled, and blood pressure and temperature were maintained within normal limits. Following the determination of baseline MAC, treatments were administered to each pony in a random manner. The control treatment was normal saline. The baseline halothane MAC for the control group was 0.91 ± 0.04%, and no significant change occurred after saline administration. Acepromazine decreased (P = 0.0001) the halothane MAC from mean ± s.e. 0.92 ± 0.02% to 0.58 ± 0.04%, and the combination of acepromazine and butorphanol, decreased (P = 0.003) halothane MAC, from mean ± s.e 0.95 ± 0.04% to 0.59 ± 0.06%. This represents a decrease of 36.9 and 37.8%, respectively. However, the difference between these 2 treatments was not significant. Butorphanol did not significantly change the mean group value for MAC; nevertheless, 3 ponies had an increase, one a decrease, while the MAC did not change in the remaining 3 ponies following butorphanol treatment.

No abstract